Book · 2019 · United states, central intelligence agency
Surprise, Kill, Vanish
The Secret History of CIA Paramilitary Armies, Operators, and Assassins
- mentions
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- people
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- podcasts
- 3
- episodes
- 4
- recommendations
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You've written best-selling books including Area 51, Operation Paperclip, The Pentagon's Brain, Surprise Kill, Vanish, Nuclear War: A Scenario, and your newest release, Biological Warfare: A Scenario.
Shawn Ryan · The Shawn Ryan Show · Jul 2026 The best things said about it
Someone was asking me about my book, 'Surprise, Kill, Vanish,' about the CIA's paramilitary guys, the Ground Branch, the snake eaters.
We're going to get to we're going to get to surprise kill vanish as well.
Joe Rogan The Joe Rogan Experience · May 2019 The following is a conversation with Annie Jacobsen, an investigative journalist, Pulitzer Prize finalist, and author of several amazing books on war, weapons, government secrecy, and national security, including the books titled "Area 51", "Operation Paperclip", "The Pentagon's Brain Phenomena", "Surprise, Kill, Vanish", and her new book, "Nuclear War".
Lex Fridman Lex Fridman Podcast · Mar 2024 Where and when it comes up
Most mentions, by podcast
4 people who brought it up
Why people recommend it
Surprise, Kill, Vanish by Annie Jacobsen is an investigative history book that chronicles the clandestine origins, evolution, and operations of the CIA's elite paramilitary Ground Branch. Shawn Ryan mentioned the title while reviewing Annie Jacobsen's extensive bibliography of bestselling national security books on The Shawn Ryan Show. The author herself appeared on The Joe Rogan Experience to discuss the book, explaining how she detailed the secretive missions and tactical histories of the intelligence agency's snake eaters. Lex Fridman similarly referenced the work while introducing the investigative journalist and Pulitzer Prize finalist at the start of his podcast, acknowledging her remarkable body of literature dedicated to war, government secrecy, and weapons technology. Joe Rogan also noted earlier in her previous appearances that they would dive deeply into the specific details of the paramilitary units covered in her text. Podcasts featuring Jacobsen consistently turn to this title to unpack the murky intersection of state-sponsored violence, espionage, and modern warfare, cementing the book as a definitive resource for understanding the hidden mechanics of American covert operations and intelligence strategies.
Every mention
Annie Jacobsen Someone was asking me about my book, 'Surprise, Kill, Vanish,' about the CIA's paramilitary guys, the Groun… 1
“Someone was asking me about my book, 'Surprise, Kill, Vanish,' about the CIA's paramilitary guys, the Ground Branch, the snake eaters.”
Joe Rogan we're going to get to we're going to get to surprise kill vanish as well 1
“we're going to get to we're going to get to surprise kill vanish as well”
Lex Fridman The following is a conversation with Annie Jacobsen, an investigative journalist, Pulitzer Prize finalist,… 1
“The following is a conversation with Annie Jacobsen, an investigative journalist, Pulitzer Prize finalist, and author of several amazing books on war, weapons, government secrecy, and national security, including the books titled "Area 51", "Operation Paperclip", "The Pentagon's Brain Phenomena", "Surprise, Kill, Vanish", and her new book, "Nuclear War".”
Shawn Ryan You've written best-selling books including Area 51, Operation Paperclip, The Pentagon's Brain, Surprise Ki… 1
“You've written best-selling books including Area 51, Operation Paperclip, The Pentagon's Brain, Surprise Kill, Vanish, Nuclear War: A Scenario, and your newest release, Biological Warfare: A Scenario.”
Also mentioned in the same episodes
Other mentions (5: passing, ad reads, own books)
“He was the main character in my book about the CIA's paramilitary called Surprise, Kill, Vanish.”
“The most sort of comprehensive look I did at the CIA was a book called Surprise, Kill, Vanish, which is about the CIA's paramilitary.”
“Another person that comes to mind was Billy Waugh in the Surprise Kill Vanish book, sort of the longest serving singleton for the US government as a paramilitary operator.”
“The following is a conversation with Annie Jacobsen, an investigative journalist, Pulitzer Prize finalist, and author of several amazing books on war, weapons, government secrecy, and national security, including the books titled 'Area 51', 'Operation Paperclip', 'The Pentagon's Brain Phenomena', 'Surprise, Kill, Vanish', and her new book, 'Nuclear War'.”
“Later, I wrote a book about the CIA's paramilitary, "Surprise, Kill, Vanish."”