The Man Behind MK Ultra--the Infamous Government Mind Control Program

In his book, “Poisoner-in-Chief,” (Henry Holt & Co.) former New York Times reporter and prolific author, Stephen Kinzer describes the shadowy man responsible for setting up one of the most infamous U.S. government programs. In 1953 during the “Cold War,” MK Ultra was initiated to develop techniques to brainwash people to act as our ‘programmed’ agents, in response to the paranoid misconception that Communist regimes had already succeeded in this objective, as in the film “Manchurian Candidate.”

Kinzer describes how Sidney Gottlieb coldly led this CIA-sponsored program based on heinous human research salvaged from the Nazis and Japanese, unleashing brutal experiments involving drugs, torture, sensory deprivation, and sexual abuse on human subjects. Gottlieb next went on to establish his moniker “Poisoner-in-Chief” as he led efforts to develop assorted poisons and delivery techniques, arming the CIA as it sought to assassinate various figures and world leaders including Fidel Castro. 

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