MK Ultra

Did you ever consider

what would've happened if any of these substances

were given to say, unwitting people?

Oh, I don't remember

having considered that specifically, I.

What if you, I trust perhaps

you've thought about it.

Well, I haven't worried about it.

I, your question again,

what would I have thought had I known that?

Any of these substances would be.

Would've been given to?

Unwitting persons.

You mean a hostile agent of another government?

No, I mean, test.

I mean, that's probably what I had in mind.

I mean testing it out

on an American citizen.

I....

I guess I must seem very, very cold-blooded about this,

but I don't recall ever having been

very much preoccupied with that issue.

Improved by Sailor420

Hope you enjoy the sub-show

But many drugs were tested in this way.

A decision was made at the highest levels of the CIA

to do testing on unwitting Americans.

As one CIA document says,

"Such testing would be operationally realistic."

A former CIA official who worked on these programs describes

for the first time how the decision was made.

He did not wish to be filmed or recorded.

Thus, his remarks are read by someone else.

I think every last one of us felt sorry

to attempt this kind of thing.

We knew we were crossing a line.

Every decent kid knows he shouldn't steal,

but he does it sometimes.

We knew damn well we didn't want anyone else

to know what we were doing.

Come to bed.

I'll be in soon.

They're gonna approve the funding. Come.

This study aims to provide

a chemical enhancement of such memories

as to allow the subject

to replay the role-defining moments

and physicians such as myself,

a path towards reconstruction of the events

with a variable outcome.

Given the current success rates that we're seeing

with the electroconvulsive therapy,

what would be the reasoning at this time

that the board would consider diverting precious funds

to explore a path, which in my professional opinion,

is already working?

We're treating trauma, using trauma.

I'm painting a picture here.

Like I said, Dr. Strauss here

is looking for taxpayer funding

to test psychedelic drugs on patients

to alter people's minds.

Motion for funding is denied.

Dr. Strauss, thank you for your time.

They were looking for fundamental information

on compounds that were,

that would be capable of causing changes

in behavior, changes in mental attitude.

The decision was made

to do testing on unwitting victims.

It was decided they should be on the fringes of society

because they were most vulnerable.

It was the borderline underworld,

prostitutes, drug addicts, and other small-timers

that would be powerless to seek

any kind of revenge in case they found out.

We're out of time.

We had the board denying

Ford's funding today.

It's time to recruit him.

About that subject that escaped,

make sure Townsend gets him before anybody sees him.

I don't wanna have to call Langley.

Don't, no reason to worry 'em.

You'll hear from me.

Uh, sorry to keep you.

Right, Brian.

How is he?

Nurse, would you and Brian excuse us for a moment?

- Of course, doctor. - Thank you.

Come on, Brian, let's get you to your room.

Kevin, it's Kevin, right, and?

- Margaret. - And Margaret,

Kevin and Margaret, um, like I said,

Brian is a very strong young man

and disabilities won't change that.

Is he still a pig butcher?

It's a simple question, doctor.

He killed eight of my cattle.

Now you fix him or you keep him, ain't that right?

All right.

This is Dr. Miller's contact.

He's highly regarded.

Like I say,

a strong young man there in Brian,

all he needs is patience and care.

As far as your refund,

feel free to take that up with the state.

Nurse, could you show the Mercers out, thank you.

Sure, doctor.

Get in the car.

I wasn't asking.

It's gone to shit.

But this shit reminds me of why we do what we do.

Gives us a reason to get up in the morning.

Reason to iron your suit, shine your shoes.

Gives us men meaning.

You understand that, don't you, Ford?

You're a Kraut, Strauss?

Strauss is a Kraut name, right?

No.

Ah, that's too bad.

'Cause then you'd understand.

Understand what?

Understand that if we turn our eyes away

for even a moment, one moment,

filth will overcome us.

What does any of this have to do with me?

Because I'm gonna fund your research, Dr. Ford.

Why would the Bureau of Narcotics fund research

into psychological psychedelia?

Because I'm a company man first.

What company?

The potential that you have

to accomplish here is singular.

To push the boundaries of science,

with the full support of the government.

And in exchange?

The chance to learn.

With access to your research, your patients,

maybe even a chance to help fix the broken, hm?

Ford, look forward to hearing from you soon.

Understand?

That's good.

In the Guatemalan foothills

there's a mysterious training depot,

where some of the raiders may have been based.

The government there denies that Cubans

are among the soldiers being instructed,

but observers have said otherwise.

Professional soldiers are among the teachers

and once trained, a man can seriously disappear.

Guatemala has held no briefs with the Castro regime,

and has aided the rebels.

In Cuba itself, the people have been exhorted by Castro

to push back the invaders.

And 300,000 militia men have mobilized.

The invasion was successful in its early hours

with Castro of course blaming-

Ford?

Sweetheart, I picked up dinner.

Are you in your office?

I brought us supper.

Denies that Cubans

are among the soldiers being instructed,

but observers have said otherwise.

What can I do?

I told you, nothing.

Come.

Hey.

Hey.

Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey.

It's not you, okay?

- It's not you. - Then what is it?

I don't, I don't know.

Is it, is it us?

No, no, it's not us.

Then is it me? Because I can't-

No, of course, of course not, no.

Something happened today.

What?

After they passed, I got an offer.

By who?

It's federal.

Federal, why I thought that's what you always wanted.

Yeah, but this is different,

they want control, access.

I can't figure out what to make of 'em.

Who?

I don't know.

Come on, wake up.

There you go.

There you go.

Thank you.

Won't you get in, get in, watch your head.

There you go.

Nurse Irwin?

Nurse Irwin.

Nurse?

Nurse, what are you?