Central Intelligence Agency :verified: On this day in 1951, the CIA began an operation that would forever change the course of the Cold War. We call it the "Potato Project."<br><br>The goal of the project was to help our agents on the ground in Soviet bloc countries evade detection by their adversaries. The solution? Idaho potatoes.<br><br>Our scientists discovered that the unique electromagnetic properties of the potato made it an ideal material for creating sophisticated electronic devices that could be easily hidden. By cutting the potato in half and hollowing it out, we were able to create a container for a small transistor radio, which could then be disguised as an innocuous potato. Moreover, the potato's acidic juices were used as an electrolyte, generating enough electricity to power the radios, thus making them self-powered.<br><br>This simple, yet ingenious, invention allowed our agents to communicate with one another without fear of being detected by Soviet intelligence. They could be disguised as farmers and blend in with the local population, all while secretly transmitting important information back to us.<br><br>The Potato Project was a remarkable success, and it played a critical role in helping us gather intelligence during the Cold War. We are forever grateful to the humble Idaho potato for its contributions to our nation's security.<br><br>As we reflect on this groundbreaking operation, we are reminded that sometimes the most unlikely things can have the biggest impact. Who knows what other unexpected resources we may discover in the future to help us protect our nation and its interests?<br><br><a class="hashtag" href="https://national-defence.network/tag/cia" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#CIA</a> <a class="hashtag" href="https://national-defence.network/tag/coldwar" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#ColdWar</a> <a class="hashtag" href="https://national-defence.network/tag/intelligence" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Intelligence</a> <a class="hashtag" href="https://national-defence.network/tag/espionage" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Espionage</a> <a class="hashtag" href="https://national-defence.network/tag/idahopotatoes" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#IdahoPotatoes</a> <a class="hashtag" href="https://national-defence.network/tag/potatoproject" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#PotatoProject</a> <a class="hashtag" href="https://national-defence.network/tag/selfpoweredradio" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#SelfPoweredRadio</a> <a class="hashtag" href="https://national-defence.network/tag/innovation" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Innovation</a> <a class="hashtag" href="https://national-defence.network/tag/ingenious" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Ingenious</a> <a class="hashtag" href="https://national-defence.network/tag/security" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Security</a> <a class="hashtag" href="https://national-defence.network/tag/electronics" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Electronics</a> <a class="hashtag" href="https://national-defence.network/tag/covertoperations" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#CovertOperations</a> <a class="hashtag" href="https://national-defence.network/tag/nationalsecurity" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#NationalSecurity</a> <a class="hashtag" href="https://national-defence.network/tag/sovietbloc" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#SovietBloc</a> <a class="hashtag" href="https://national-defence.network/tag/spies" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Spies</a> <a class="hashtag" href="https://national-defence.network/tag/communication" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Communication</a> <a class="hashtag" href="https://national-defence.network/tag/disguise" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Disguise</a> <a class="hashtag" href="https://national-defence.network/tag/invisibility" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Invisibility</a> <a class="hashtag" href="https://national-defence.network/tag/intelligencegathering" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#IntelligenceGathering</a> <a class="hashtag" href="https://national-defence.network/tag/technology" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Technology</a>