Project ARTICHOKE

The CIA's direct predecessor to MKUltra, focusing on interrogation techniques, truth serums, and behavior control from 1951 to 1956.

Program Origins

Project BLUEBIRD

Predecessor program (1950-1951) focused on interrogation, hypnosis, and amnesia induction.

Korean War Influence

Response to concerns about communist "brainwashing" techniques observed in POW camps.

Official Start

Renamed ARTICHOKE in August 1951 under CIA's Office of Scientific Intelligence.

Direct Predecessor

Immediate forerunner to MKUltra, sharing many personnel and research objectives.

Primary Objectives

Truth Serum Development

Testing drugs like scopolamine, mescaline, and LSD for interrogation purposes.

Amnesia Induction

Creating methods to erase memories of interrogation or covert activities.

Hypnotic Programming

Developing techniques to implant suggestions and control behavior through hypnosis.

Interrogation Resistance

Training agents to resist enemy interrogation techniques.

Key Experiments & Methods

Drug Testing Programs

Extensive testing of barbiturates, amphetamines, and psychedelics on both willing and unwitting subjects, including CIA employees, military personnel, and prisoners.

Hypnosis Research

Experiments to determine if hypnosis could induce individuals to perform acts against their will, including attempts to create "hypnotic couriers" who would unknowingly transport materials.

Sensory Deprivation

Early research into isolation techniques that would later be expanded under MKUltra, including water tanks and soundproof rooms.

Combined Techniques

Testing combinations of drugs, hypnosis, and stress to break down resistance and extract information.

Notable Figures & Institutions

Key Personnel

  • Morse Allen - Program director
  • Dr. Sidney Gottlieb - Chemical division
  • George White - Field operations
  • Various CIA technical services staff

Participating Institutions

  • CIA Technical Services Division
  • US Army Chemical Corps
  • Various university research departments
  • Private research facilities

Transition to MKUltra

Program Expansion

ARTICHOKE's limited scope led to the creation of the more comprehensive MKUltra program in 1953.

Broader Mandate

MKUltra expanded beyond interrogation to include broader mind control and behavior modification research.

Increased Funding

MKUltra received significantly more resources and operated on a much larger scale than ARTICHOKE.

Continuity of Research

Many ARTICHOKE experiments and personnel continued under the MKUltra program.

Documentation & Legacy

Surviving Documents

  • CIA memoranda and reports
  • Experiment summaries
  • Congressional hearing exhibits

Historical Significance

  • Demonstrates evolution of CIA mind control efforts
  • Shows continuity from BLUEBIRD to ARTICHOKE to MKUltra
  • Provides context for MKUltra's more extreme experiments
  • Early example of government human experimentation ethics issues