MK-Ultra was a secretive CIA project that took place between 1953 and 1973, during which the agency conducted various experiments on unwitting U.S. citizens to explore the potential use of drugs like LSD for mind control, brainwashing, and psychological torture. The project originated from Cold War paranoia, as the U.S. government feared that Soviet and communist agents were using mind control on American prisoners of war. The CIA, led by Allen Dulles and headed by Sidney Gottlieb, initiated MK-Ultra to develop techniques for manipulating human behavior, using drugs, electroshock therapy, and other psychological tools. Over 150 experiments were conducted, many without the knowledge of the participants.

One notable drug used in MK-Ultra was LSD, synthesized in 1938 by scientist Albert Hofmann. Originally intended as a circulatory stimulant, Hofmann discovered its hallucinogenic effects after accidentally ingesting the substance in 1943. His intense experience with hallucinations and vivid colors led to further exploration of LSD’s mind-altering properties, and the CIA soon took an interest in its potential for brainwashing and interrogation.

The CIA purchased large quantities of LSD, experimenting on various groups, including prisoners, military personnel, and even its own employees. One of the most infamous incidents was the case of Frank Olson, a bacteriologist who worked on biological warfare at Fort Detrick. After being unknowingly dosed with LSD during a CIA retreat in 1953, Olson's mental health deteriorated, and he died shortly after, allegedly falling from a New York hotel window under mysterious circumstances. Many believe Olson was murdered by the CIA to keep him silent about the agency's dark practices.

MK-Ultra also included projects like Operation Midnight Climax, where unsuspecting individuals were lured by prostitutes into CIA-run safehouses and dosed with LSD. The program's secrecy was such that even top government officials were unaware of its scope. Although officially halted in 1973, MK-Ultra’s true extent remains obscured, as most records were destroyed. Revelations about the program came to light through investigations by the Senate Church Committee in the 1970s, revealing the CIA’s illegal experiments on unwitting citizens.