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70 yrs ago today, Allen Dulles, launched the CIA's mind control program MKULTRA.
In 1953, Americans were shocked by Soviet/Chinese brainwashing of US soldiers in Korea.
The response: a top-secret, and ultimately twisted, effort to "control human behavior."
This is the story:
In 1953, Americans were shocked by Soviet/Chinese brainwashing of US soldiers in Korea.
The response: a top-secret, and ultimately twisted, effort to "control human behavior."
This is the story:
The CIA, founded 1947, had two missions: stop attacks on USA, and halt Communism's advance.
Two years later, the USSR blew up its first nuke, catching the CIA by surprise.
By 1954, a secret report urged: US must give up fair play & learn to 'subvert, sabotage, and destroy.'
Two years later, the USSR blew up its first nuke, catching the CIA by surprise.
By 1954, a secret report urged: US must give up fair play & learn to 'subvert, sabotage, and destroy.'
Then came the Korean War.
GIs came out of prison camps brainwashed: loyal to enemies, confessing to false war crimes, refusing repatriation.
With drugs, propaganda, and new techniques, the Communists seemed to have mastered mind control.
What could be done?
GIs came out of prison camps brainwashed: loyal to enemies, confessing to false war crimes, refusing repatriation.
With drugs, propaganda, and new techniques, the Communists seemed to have mastered mind control.
What could be done?
In 1953, Dulles spoke at a Princeton alumni event. He said we were fighting not just ideological war, but "brain warfare."
He cited the cases of freed American POWs who still parroted Communist propaganda.
Days later, MKULTRA launched.
The boss: 34-y-o chemist Sidney Gottlieb.
He cited the cases of freed American POWs who still parroted Communist propaganda.
Days later, MKULTRA launched.
The boss: 34-y-o chemist Sidney Gottlieb.
For over 20 years, MKULTRA was one of the CIA's most protected secrets.
It sprawled to cover 149 projects.
The goal: to investigate how human minds could be controlled using drugs and psychological techniques.
It sprawled to cover 149 projects.
The goal: to investigate how human minds could be controlled using drugs and psychological techniques.
From the beginning there was abuse.
Drugs were administered to unwitting subjects.
Scientists worked on making truth serums and undetectable poisons.
They used hypnosis, shocks, radiation, isolation, chemicals.
LSD and marijuana were major topics of exploration.
Drugs were administered to unwitting subjects.
Scientists worked on making truth serums and undetectable poisons.
They used hypnosis, shocks, radiation, isolation, chemicals.
LSD and marijuana were major topics of exploration.
Gottlieb and his team used themselves as guinea pigs.
One of these, Dr. Frank Olson, went to a group retreat in late 1953 and was given Cointreau spiked with 70 mcg of LSD.
Olson had a bad trip that spiraled into psychosis.
Days later, he leapt off a building to his death.
One of these, Dr. Frank Olson, went to a group retreat in late 1953 and was given Cointreau spiked with 70 mcg of LSD.
Olson had a bad trip that spiraled into psychosis.
Days later, he leapt off a building to his death.
Plots abounded.
Castro's cigars were to be laced with LSD, explosives, poison, and chemicals to make his hair fall out.
Poison toothpaste was prepared for Congolese president Patrice Lumumba.
Castro's cigars were to be laced with LSD, explosives, poison, and chemicals to make his hair fall out.
Poison toothpaste was prepared for Congolese president Patrice Lumumba.
The extent of MKULTRA's experiments on US civilians, and its influence on them, is still debated.
Op. Midnight Climax had agents spy on johns dosed secretly w LSD.
Some claim that murderers Ted Kaczynski and Charles Manson were set off by CIA drug & psychological meddling.
Op. Midnight Climax had agents spy on johns dosed secretly w LSD.
Some claim that murderers Ted Kaczynski and Charles Manson were set off by CIA drug & psychological meddling.
In 1963, the experiments on involuntary subjects stopped.
In 1973, MKULTRA was halted.
To protect its secrets, CIA Director Richard Helms ordered all files from the 20yr program destroyed.
Some documents have survived, but many of its secrets will never be known.
In 1973, MKULTRA was halted.
To protect its secrets, CIA Director Richard Helms ordered all files from the 20yr program destroyed.
Some documents have survived, but many of its secrets will never be known.
What is its legacy?
In society, MKULTRA gives credence to claims of intelligence abuse, from the rational to the seemingly paranoid.
After all, if it gave LSD to citizens, what wouldn't it do?
If its goal was to win 'brain warfare' for the USA, would you say that it won?
In society, MKULTRA gives credence to claims of intelligence abuse, from the rational to the seemingly paranoid.
After all, if it gave LSD to citizens, what wouldn't it do?
If its goal was to win 'brain warfare' for the USA, would you say that it won?
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