Short Stuff: Did a vampire legend help win the Cold War?

The Short Stuff podcast explores the CIA's use of the Aswang, a creature from Philippine folklore, as a psychological warfare tactic during the Cold War. The hosts detail the Aswang's characteristics—a vampire-like entity that feeds on blood, organs, phlegm, and unborn children—and its role in Filipino cultural beliefs. They then discuss Edward Geary Lansdale, a CIA operative who leveraged these superstitions to combat communist rebels known as the Huks. Lansdale's strategy involved spreading rumors of Aswang sightings and staging gruesome killings to terrorize villagers and disrupt rebel support. While this tactic had limited success, the hosts note that the broader conflict was resolved through conventional military means, with the Huk leader eventually surrendering.