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Inside the CIA’s Mind Control Experiments

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May 20, 2025

Guest

John Lisle

Join historian John Lisle, author of 'Project Mind Control', as he unveils the chilling secrets behind the CIA's MKULTRA. Lisle discusses the dark tactics employed by Sidney Gottlieb to manipulate minds, from hallucinogenic drugs to psychological torture. Dive into the harrowing stories of victims seeking justice and the complex ethical landscape of covert operations. With newly uncovered testimonies, he sheds light on the legacy of these experiments and their lingering impact on society, while questioning the very nature of human behavior and accountability.

01:33:18

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Episode notes

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INSIGHT

Origins of MKUltra

MKUltra was sparked by fears that communist forces used mind control on prisoners of war.
The CIA sought to develop methods of mind control to defend against or use in covert operations.

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INSIGHT

CIA's Early Operational Shift

The CIA shifted early from intelligence gathering to offensive covert operations, provoking concern from President Truman.
This shift laid groundwork for secretive, often unaccountable programs like MKUltra.

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ANECDOTE

Operation Midnight Climax: LSD and Spies

The CIA secretly dosed unwitting San Francisco clients with LSD via prostitutes while agents observed behind one-way mirrors.
The real key to extracting information was the post-experience social interaction, not the drugs themselves.

Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode

Unraveling MKUltra: Victims and Accountability

02:25 • 20min

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The Dark Psychology of False Confessions

21:59 • 16min

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Decoding CIA Project Names and Euphemisms in State Language

38:25 • 2min

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The Hallucinogenic Origins and Covert Uses of LSD

40:41 • 3min

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Unveiling the Controversial CIA Operations

43:16 • 2min

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Mind Control and Chaos: The Dark Legacy of MKUltra

44:57 • 22min

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Unraveling Conspiracy Theories

01:06:55 • 5min

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Unraveling MKUltra: Ethics, Memory, and Pop Culture

01:11:51 • 18min

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The Unpredictability of Human Behavior and Its Influences

01:30:08 • 3min

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A Terrible Mistake

The Murder of Frank Olson and the CIA's Secret Cold War Experiments

H. P. Albarelli Jr.

This book delves into the mysterious death of Frank Olson, a biochemist involved in CIA experiments, and explores the CIA's secret Cold War experiments, including the MKULTRA and ARTICHOKE projects. It offers a comprehensive look at the backgrounds of former CIA, FBI, and Federal Narcotics Bureau officials involved in these programs. The book highlights the dark history of government experiments and their implications on national security and civil liberties.

Poisoner In Chief

Stephen Kinzer

Chaos

Charles Manson, the CIA, and the Secret History of the Sixties

Tom O’Neill

Dan Piepenbring

This book is the result of twenty years of meticulous research by Tom O'Neill, who questions the Helter Skelter scenario presented by Vincent Bugliosi. O'Neill's investigation delves into police carelessness, legal misconduct, and potential surveillance by intelligence agents. The book explores the connections between Charles Manson, Hollywood figures, and the CIA's mind-control experiments, presenting a complex and alternative view of the Manson murders and their place in American history.

The search for the "Manchurian candidate"

John D. Marks

John D. Marks's "The Search for the Manchurian Candidate" investigates the CIA's involvement in mind control experiments, particularly focusing on Project MKUltra. The book explores the history of these controversial programs, examining the techniques used and the ethical implications. Marks delves into declassified documents and interviews to piece together a comprehensive account of the project's goals, methods, and lasting effects. The book raises questions about the extent of government overreach and the potential for abuse of power in the name of national security. Marks's work remains a crucial resource for understanding the dark side of intelligence operations.

HELTER SKELTER

The True Story of the Manson Murders

Curt Gentry

Vincent Bugliosi

This book provides a comprehensive and gripping narrative of the Manson Family murders, including the Tate-LaBianca killings, and the trial that followed. Bugliosi's insider perspective as the prosecutor offers unique insights into the investigation, the psychology of Charles Manson and his followers, and the legal processes involved. The book has become the best-selling true crime book in history and has had a significant impact on popular culture and legal practices.

The Dirty Tricks Department

Stanley Lovell, the OSS, and the Masterminds of World War II Secret Warfare

John Lisle

The Dirty Tricks Department by John Lisle explores the untold story of the OSS Research and Development Branch, led by Stanley Lovell, which developed innovative and often unconventional weapons and tactics during World War II. The book delves into the moral dilemmas faced by these scientists and their legacy in influencing later CIA programs like MKULTRA.

Picking Cotton

Our Memoir of Injustice and Redemption

Ronald Cotton

Erin Torneo

Jennifer Thompson

Jennifer Thompson-Cannino was raped at knifepoint and mistakenly identified Ronald Cotton as her attacker, leading to his wrongful conviction. After DNA proved his innocence, they forged an unlikely friendship, exploring themes of justice, memory, and forgiveness. Their memoir, 'Picking Cotton', offers a powerful narrative of redemption and healing.

The Manchurian candidate

Richard Condon

Published in 1959, 'The Manchurian Candidate' is a gripping political thriller that delves into the world of mind control and manipulation. The story revolves around Raymond Shaw, an American soldier captured during the Korean War and brainwashed by his Communist captors to become a sleeper agent. Upon his return to the United States, Shaw is programmed to carry out an assassination plot against the President. The novel follows the efforts of fellow soldier Bennett Marco to uncover the truth behind Shaw's brainwashing and stop the assassination. Condon uses satire and humor to critique the political establishment and highlight the absurdity of Cold War politics, while also exploring themes of family dysfunction and the abuse of power.

Project Mind Control: Sidney Gottlieb, the CIA, and the Tragedy of MKUltra

John Lyle

Transformation of America

Cathy O'Brien

This is the inside story of the CIA’s secret mind control project, MKULTRA, using never-before-seen testimony from the perpetrators themselves.

Sidney Gottlieb was the CIA’s most cunning chemist. As head of the infamous MKULTRA project, he oversaw an assortment of dangerous―even deadly―experiments. Among them: dosing unwitting strangers with mind-bending drugs, torturing mental patients through sensory deprivation, and steering the movements of animals via electrodes implanted into their brains. His goal was to develop methods of mind control that could turn someone into a real-life “Manchurian candidate.”

In conjunction with MKULTRA, Gottlieb also plotted the assassination of foreign leaders and created spy gear for undercover agents. The details of his career, however, have long been shrouded in mystery. Upon retiring from the CIA in 1973, he tossed his files into an incinerator. As a result, much of what happened under MKULTRA was thought to be lost―until now.

Historian John Lisle has uncovered dozens of depositions containing new information about MKULTRA, straight from the mouths of its perpetrators. For the first time, Gottlieb and his underlings divulge what they did, why they did it, how they got away with it, and much more. Additionally, Lisle highlights the dramatic story of MKULTRA’s victims, from their terrible treatment to their dogged pursuit of justice.

The consequences of MKULTRA still reverberate throughout American society.

John Lisle is a historian of science and the American intelligence community. He was on the show for his previous book, The Dirty Tricks Department, about Stanley Lovell, the OSS precursor to the CIA, and the Masterminds of World War II Secret Warfare. In Vol. 25, No. 2 of Skeptic he wrote about MKULTRA, the CIA program in search of mind control technology. His new book is Project Mind Control: Sidney Gottlieb, the CIA, and the Tragedy of MKULTRA.

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