Declassified

MKUltra: How the CIA Experimented on Thousands of Americans

February 20, 2026 1953-1973 United States Sidney Gottlieb, Allen Dulles, Richard Helms, Frank Olson

The Detail That Changes Everything

A filing error saved 20,000 pages that were supposed to be destroyed

Historical Context

This story spans 1953-1973 and is centered in United States. Understanding the broader historical context is essential to grasping why events unfolded as they did.

Key Figures

The central figures in this story include Sidney Gottlieb, Allen Dulles, Richard Helms, and Frank Olson. Each played a distinct role in the events documented in this episode.

Themes Explored

This episode examines interconnected themes including CIA, mind control, LSD experiments, government cover-up, Cold War. These themes recur across multiple episodes in our documentary collection, revealing patterns that connect seemingly unrelated stories.

Watch the Full Documentary

This companion article provides context and background for the full documentary. For the complete story with narration, original music, and archival imagery, watch the episode above or on YouTube.

Arthur's Verdict

The CIA spent $25 million experimenting on American citizens and no one was ever prosecuted.

Frequently Asked Questions

MKUltra was a top-secret CIA program that ran from 1953 to 1973, conducting mind control experiments on thousands of unwitting American citizens. Authorized by CIA Director Allen Dulles and managed by chemist Sidney Gottlieb, the program tested LSD, barbiturates, electroshock therapy, sensory deprivation, and other techniques on subjects who often had no idea they were being experimented on. CIA operatives dosed unsuspecting people in bars, brothels, and prisons through sub-programs like Operation Midnight Climax. CIA scientist Frank Olson died under suspicious circumstances after being secretly dosed with LSD. In 1973, CIA Director Richard Helms ordered all MKUltra files destroyed, but a filing error saved twenty thousand pages that were discovered during the 1977 Church Committee investigation. The CIA spent twenty-five million dollars on the program and no one was ever prosecuted.

Sources & Further Reading

As an Amazon Associate, Arthur Lee's Adventures earns from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.

Arthur's Pick
Poisoner in Chief (audiobook)

Free with Audible trial. Sidney Gottlieb and the CIA's search for mind control. Chilling.

Poisoner in Chief by Stephen Kinzer

The definitive MKUltra account. Sidney Gottlieb's twenty-year quest for mind control.

A Terrible Mistake by H.P. Albarelli

The Frank Olson mystery. Deep dive into MKUltra's darkest chapter.

Legacy of Ashes by Tim Weiner

Pulitzer winner. The CIA's secret history. MKUltra in the broader context of agency failures.

Continue Exploring