Yazman
23rd January 2010, 12:50
NOTE: This is just a topic for general discussion of MKULTRA. This post is just something I put together relatively quickly, I apologise in advance for the 'haphazard' manner in which it appears to be written.
If anybody is interested in MKULTRA I suggest you use the wikipedia article found here. Yes, it is wikipedia, but this is a decent and well-sourced article:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MKULTRA
Its just good as a starting point. It is quite good and well sourced. Remember that it is just a starting point - the article itself links to some great sources, including archives of scanned declassified documents from the project itself.
To my knowledge MKULTRA was not really that successful and thats part of why it ended. Although I believe it did result in some new drugs and methods of usage for them, as well as some innovative torture and interrogation techniques. But thats about it as far as I know.
For the record, here's some of the actual stated goals of MKULTRA, sourced from one of the project's declassified documents. Many of the MKULTRA documents were destroyed however, although quite a few ended up being declassified. The following should give an idea of what they sought to achieve, however. Click the spoiler tag to read them:
1. Substances which will promote illogical thinking and impulsiveness to the point where the recipient would be discredited in public.
2. Substances which increase the efficiency of mentation and perception.
3. Materials which will prevent or counteract the intoxicating effect of alcohol.
4. Materials which will promote the intoxicating effect of alcohol.
5. Materials which will produce the signs and symptoms of recognized diseases in a reversible way so that they may be used for malingering, etc.
6. Materials which will render the induction of hypnosis easier or otherwise enhance its usefulness.
7. Substances which will enhance the ability of individuals to withstand privation, torture and coercion during interrogation and so-called "brain-
washing".
8. Materials and physical methods which will produce amnesia for events preceding and during their use.
9. Physical methods of producing shock and confusion over extended periods of time and capable of surreptitious use.
10. Substances which produce physical disablement such as paralysis of the legs, acute anemia, etc.
11. Substances which will produce "pure" euphoria with no subsequent let-down.
12. Substances which alter personality structure in such a way that the tendency of the recipient to become dependent upon another person is enhanced.
13. A material which will cause mental confusion of such a type that the individual under its influence will find it difficult to maintain a fabrication under questioning.
14. Substances which will lower the ambition and general working efficiency of men when administered in undetectable amounts.
15. Substances which promote weakness or distortion of the eyesight or hearing faculties, preferably without permanent effects.
16. A knockout pill which can surreptitiously be administered in drinks, food, cigarettes, as an aerosol, etc., which will be safe to use, provide a maximum of amnesia, and be suitable for use by agent types on an ad hoc basis.
17. A material which can be surreptitiously administered by the above routes and which in very small amounts will make it impossible for a man to perform any physical activity whatsoever.
Here's some points I've thought about. Feel free to respond or comment on them or not:
1. What do you think the motives behind this program were? It is commonly suggested and theorised that it was a Cold War-era program geared towards captured enemy agents, although we know that there was a lot of interest in potential mass control techniques and there was a lot of propaganda floating around at the time about soviet "brainwashing", and although much of this was propaganda it seems that some of those involved in US military research programs legitimately believed that the Soviet Union had already developed its own MKULTRA-style program, and that mere "competition" may have led to the US beginning its own program. Whether or not the Soviet Union actually conducted such a program or not isn't really important here (I don't really know myself whether they did or not, I suspect it was more Cold War-era paranoia than reality). The more important thing I'm thinking of is that such fears were one of many factors that led to the creation of MKULTRA itself. Do you feel that the commonly given reasons for the creation of this program are adequate or that there may be more to it?
2. What do you feel are the implications of such a program, within the context of the Cold War itself?
3. What do you think this program means today? That some of the techniques and ideas developed and researched in MKULTRA may have had long-term effects and have been modified and utilised since the program ended is certainly interesting if maybe a bit worrying. Do you feel that MKULTRA had any long-term effects, or was it simply a 'bizarre episode of government research' that was abandoned in part or entirely after its conclusion?
If anybody is interested in MKULTRA I suggest you use the wikipedia article found here. Yes, it is wikipedia, but this is a decent and well-sourced article:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MKULTRA
Its just good as a starting point. It is quite good and well sourced. Remember that it is just a starting point - the article itself links to some great sources, including archives of scanned declassified documents from the project itself.
To my knowledge MKULTRA was not really that successful and thats part of why it ended. Although I believe it did result in some new drugs and methods of usage for them, as well as some innovative torture and interrogation techniques. But thats about it as far as I know.
For the record, here's some of the actual stated goals of MKULTRA, sourced from one of the project's declassified documents. Many of the MKULTRA documents were destroyed however, although quite a few ended up being declassified. The following should give an idea of what they sought to achieve, however. Click the spoiler tag to read them:
1. Substances which will promote illogical thinking and impulsiveness to the point where the recipient would be discredited in public.
2. Substances which increase the efficiency of mentation and perception.
3. Materials which will prevent or counteract the intoxicating effect of alcohol.
4. Materials which will promote the intoxicating effect of alcohol.
5. Materials which will produce the signs and symptoms of recognized diseases in a reversible way so that they may be used for malingering, etc.
6. Materials which will render the induction of hypnosis easier or otherwise enhance its usefulness.
7. Substances which will enhance the ability of individuals to withstand privation, torture and coercion during interrogation and so-called "brain-
washing".
8. Materials and physical methods which will produce amnesia for events preceding and during their use.
9. Physical methods of producing shock and confusion over extended periods of time and capable of surreptitious use.
10. Substances which produce physical disablement such as paralysis of the legs, acute anemia, etc.
11. Substances which will produce "pure" euphoria with no subsequent let-down.
12. Substances which alter personality structure in such a way that the tendency of the recipient to become dependent upon another person is enhanced.
13. A material which will cause mental confusion of such a type that the individual under its influence will find it difficult to maintain a fabrication under questioning.
14. Substances which will lower the ambition and general working efficiency of men when administered in undetectable amounts.
15. Substances which promote weakness or distortion of the eyesight or hearing faculties, preferably without permanent effects.
16. A knockout pill which can surreptitiously be administered in drinks, food, cigarettes, as an aerosol, etc., which will be safe to use, provide a maximum of amnesia, and be suitable for use by agent types on an ad hoc basis.
17. A material which can be surreptitiously administered by the above routes and which in very small amounts will make it impossible for a man to perform any physical activity whatsoever.
Here's some points I've thought about. Feel free to respond or comment on them or not:
1. What do you think the motives behind this program were? It is commonly suggested and theorised that it was a Cold War-era program geared towards captured enemy agents, although we know that there was a lot of interest in potential mass control techniques and there was a lot of propaganda floating around at the time about soviet "brainwashing", and although much of this was propaganda it seems that some of those involved in US military research programs legitimately believed that the Soviet Union had already developed its own MKULTRA-style program, and that mere "competition" may have led to the US beginning its own program. Whether or not the Soviet Union actually conducted such a program or not isn't really important here (I don't really know myself whether they did or not, I suspect it was more Cold War-era paranoia than reality). The more important thing I'm thinking of is that such fears were one of many factors that led to the creation of MKULTRA itself. Do you feel that the commonly given reasons for the creation of this program are adequate or that there may be more to it?
2. What do you feel are the implications of such a program, within the context of the Cold War itself?
3. What do you think this program means today? That some of the techniques and ideas developed and researched in MKULTRA may have had long-term effects and have been modified and utilised since the program ended is certainly interesting if maybe a bit worrying. Do you feel that MKULTRA had any long-term effects, or was it simply a 'bizarre episode of government research' that was abandoned in part or entirely after its conclusion?