In Episode 158 of The History of Nepal: Kingdoms in the Shadow of the Himalayas, Lucas and Luna uncover a little-known Cold War operation that played out in the Himalayas. In 1952, just a year after Nepal emerged from Rana rule, the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency launched a secret program to train Tibetan guerrillas in the Mustang region. Lucas explains how the CIA's 'Project ST Circus' involved Nepali politicians, exiled Tibetan fighters, and a base hidden in the remote Kali Gandaki valley. He details the training of the Chushi Gangdrug (Four Rivers, Six Ranges) resistance force, the Nepali government's uneasy cooperation, and the long-term consequences for Nepal-Tibet-China relations. The episode also touches on the role of King Mahendra, who used the operation to secure U.S. aid and consolidate his own power. With vivid descriptions of the harsh terrain and the human cost of this shadow war, this episode offers a gripping look at how Nepal became a Cold War chessboard long before the more famous Afghan conflict.
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