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Acceptance of the term in American English was not without controversy; many people, and especially [[World War II]] veterans, did not believe such a thing was [[scientific]]ally possible, and that POWs alleged to have been "brainwashed" were simple weakminded traitors. Since then, other terms to describe similar phenomena have entered into the medical and psychiatric lexicon, such as [[Stockholm Syndrome]].

Acceptance of the term in American English was not without controversy; many people, and especially [[World War II]] veterans, did not believe such a thing was [[scientific]]ally possible, and that POWs alleged to have been "brainwashed" were simple weakminded traitors. Since then, other terms to describe similar phenomena have entered into the medical and psychiatric lexicon, such as [[Stockholm Syndrome]].

Marks reports that the [[CIA]] attempted to develop a brainwashing technique of their own. After years of experimentation, they concluded that no reliable method existed to make anyone do or say anything he would not otherwise want to do, except that months of the brutal regimen in Soviet or Chinese prisons would be sufficient to cause a prisoner to say or do anything to bring the ordeal to an end. Marks also notes that British and other allied prisoners did not confess or collaborate in such large numbers.<ref name=Marks>Marks J, "The Search for the Manchurian Candidate", ch. 8 ("Brainwashing"), in ''The Psychedelic Library''. Accessed April 8, 2009. <http://www.druglibrary.org/schaffer/lsd/marks8.htm></ref>

Marks reports that the [[CIA]] attempted to develop a brainwashing technique of their own. After years of experimentation, they concluded that no reliable method existed to make anyone do or say anything he would not otherwise want to do, except that months of the brutal regimen in Soviet or Chinese [[gulag]]s would be sufficient to cause a prisoner to say or do anything to bring the ordeal to an end. Marks also notes that British and other allied prisoners did not confess or collaborate in such large numbers.<ref name=Marks>Marks J, "The Search for the Manchurian Candidate", ch. 8 ("Brainwashing"), in ''The Psychedelic Library''. Accessed April 8, 2009. <http://www.druglibrary.org/schaffer/lsd/marks8.htm></ref>

Allegations of techniques for impressing an idea or a command on the subconscious mind arguably date back to the [[Crusades]]. Specifically, the Nizari Ismailis, under the leadership of Hassan-e Sabbah, gained a reputation for secret murder against the enemies of Shi'a [[Islam]]. [[Marco Polo]] and others alleged that the operatives of this sect that committed these murders did so while under the influence of [[hashish]], administered to them in a training facility that was part barracks, part bordello. Thus this sect gained the Arabic name ''hashishiyyim'', or ''hashshasheen'', which in Vulgar [[Latin]] became ''asesini'', or Assassins in English.<ref name=looklex>Kjeilen, Tore, "Assassins," ''Encyclopedia of the Orient'', 1996. Accessed April 8, 2009. <http://looklex.com/e.o/assassins.htm></ref><ref name=Zalman>Zalman A, "Assassins (Hashishiyyin) (Persia & Syria, 11th-12th Century)", About.com, n.d. Accessed April 8, 2009. <http://terrorism.about.com/od/groupsleader1/p/Assassins.htm></ref><ref name=britannica>"Assassin", ''The Encyclopedia Britannica'', 1911. Quoted entirely by M. Snell at About.com. Accessed April 8, 2009. <http://historymedren.about.com/od/aentries/a/11_assassin.htm></ref>

Allegations of techniques for impressing an idea or a command on the subconscious mind arguably date back to the [[Crusades]]. Specifically, the Nizari Ismailis, under the leadership of Hassan-e Sabbah, gained a reputation for secret murder against the enemies of Shi'a [[Islam]]. [[Marco Polo]] and others alleged that the operatives of this sect that committed these murders did so while under the influence of [[hashish]], administered to them in a training facility that was part barracks, part bordello. Thus this sect gained the Arabic name ''hashishiyyim'', or ''hashshasheen'', which in Vulgar [[Latin]] became ''asesini'', or Assassins in English.<ref name=looklex>Kjeilen, Tore, "Assassins," ''Encyclopedia of the Orient'', 1996. Accessed April 8, 2009. <http://looklex.com/e.o/assassins.htm></ref><ref name=Zalman>Zalman A, "Assassins (Hashishiyyin) (Persia & Syria, 11th-12th Century)", About.com, n.d. Accessed April 8, 2009. <http://terrorism.about.com/od/groupsleader1/p/Assassins.htm></ref><ref name=britannica>"Assassin", ''The Encyclopedia Britannica'', 1911. Quoted entirely by M. Snell at About.com. Accessed April 8, 2009. <http://historymedren.about.com/od/aentries/a/11_assassin.htm></ref>