Friends,
Welcome to Chasing History – Stories Behind Lost Legends, where we bravely explore the tales we’ve collectively chosen to ignore, then shine a spotlight on them like a bad reality TV show.
Imagine this: you find yourself in a dimly lit lab, strapped to a chair, heart racing as you unwittingly participate in the CIA’s notorious MKUltra program. Yes, that’s right—welcome to the dark side of mind control, where the motto seems to be “Ethics, schmethics!”
This podcast dives into the chilling origins of MKUltra, which kicked off in 1953 as CIA Director Allen Dulles decided that if the Soviets were playing mind games, the U.S. should join the fun. Enter Dr. Sidney Gottlieb, the agency’s version of a mad scientist, concocting bizarre drugs and using unsuspecting citizens as his guinea pigs. You know, just your average Tuesday for the CIA.
Alongside Gottlieb, we meet other key players like Richard Helms, who seemed to have a flair for funding ethically questionable experiments, and Dr. D. Ewen Cameron, whose psychic driving techniques read more like the script of a horror film than legitimate psychiatry. And let’s not forget George Hunter White, an undercover agent who turned clandestine bordellos into test labs—because why not?
From LSD-induced mind wipes to sensory deprivation that could make even the toughest souls question their sanity, MKUltra employed a buffet of questionable techniques. Spoiler alert: the results were as disturbing as they were unethical.
Join us as we peel back the layers of this dark chapter in U.S. intelligence history, revealing how a quest for control spiraled into a nightmare of psychological manipulation and trauma. It’s a wild ride through the twisted corridors of governmental ambition, where the only thing that’s certain is that nothing is ever as it seems.
So grab your coffee, settle in, and prepare for a journey that’s both enlightening and, dare we say, a bit absurd. Until next time, keep reading and stay caffeinated!
For those who would like to learn more:
Poisoner in Chief. During his twenty-two years at the CIA, Gottlieb worked in the deepest secrecy. Only since his death has it become possible to piece together his astonishing career at the intersection of extreme science and covert action. Poisoner in Chief reveals him as a clandestine conjurer on an epic scale.
The Devil’s Chessboard: Allen Dulles, the CIA, and the Rise of America’s Secret Government. An exposé of American power and its abuse that is as disturbing as it is timely, The Devil’s Chessboard is a provocative and gripping story of the rise of the national security state—and the battle for America’s soul.
Don’t forget to subscribe to stay up to date on myths, legends, mysteries, and the chaos of history.
If you’re looking for your next favorite read, I invite you to check out my series, The Raven Society. This spellbinding historical fantasy series takes us on a heart-pounding journey through forgotten legends and distorted history. Uncover the chilling secrets of mythology and confront the horrifying truths that transformed myths into monstrous realities. How far will you go to learn the truth?
The Writer and The Librarian (Book 1):
Signed copies at:
https://rlgeerrobbins.com/product/the-writer-and-the-lib