From 1953 to 1964, the CIA illegally operated a secret mind control program called MK-ULTRA. The program experimented with psychedelic drugs, electroshock, hypnosis, psychological assault, isolation, sensory deprivation, sexual abuse, and other forms of torture. MK-ULTRA conducted these experiments on American and foreign citizens, often without their knowledge or consent.

There were 149 separate MK-ULTRA subprojects with three broad aims: perfecting interrogation methods, conditioning CIA agents not to divulge secrets; and developing mind control techniques. A driving force in creating MK-ULTRA was paranoia that the Soviet Union, China, and Korea were engaged in similar activities. Although MK-ULTRA experimented predominately on adults, it also experimented on college students and children.

MK-ULTRA carried out its research activities at over 80 institutions, including universities and colleges, hospitals, prisons, government agencies, and other entities. In many cases, these organizations were unaware the CIA was the sponsor of their research and the source of funding. In its obsession to gain mind control expertise, the CIA recruited ex Nazi SS officers who operated the death camps.

The impact of MK-ULTRA continued after its shutdown. Stephen Kinzer in his book Poisoner In Chief and John Marks in his book The Search for the Manchurian Candidate highlighted how the widespread drug experiments by MK-ULTRA contributed to launching the drug fascination and counter culture movement of the 1960s. Naomi Klein in her book The Shock Doctrine documents how the CIA used MK-ULTRA techniques to orchestrate a coup and dictatorship in Chile and to assist Russia in its abrupt transformation to capitalism, which created the Russian oligarchies of today.