The History and Evolution of American Torture and Secret Prisons (1898-2008)

Abstract

This thesis outlines the history of the US government’s use of torture as an official policy in its warfare. The thesis addresses the cases of the Philippine-American War (1898–1902), the Vietnam War (1965–1972), and the Global War on Terror (2001–present), to demonstrate how the US government has devoted massive resources to the study and development of torture, and how various techniques have evolved over the last century—including the construction of the ideal physical space in which to conduct torture.