PROJECT ARTICHOKE

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 00146151
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 6
• Document Creation Date: December 17, 2024
• Document Release Date: January 15, 1983
• Publication Date: January 31, 1975

MEMORANDUM FOR THE RECORD
SUBJECT: Project ARTICHOKE
31 JAN /5
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ARTICHOKE is the Agency cryptonym for the study
and/or use of "special" interrogation methods and techniques.
These "special" interrogation methods have been known to
include the use of drugs and chemicals, hypnosis, and
"total isolation," a form of psychological harassment..
A review of available file information obtained from
Office of Secufity resources failed to reflect a comprehensive
or complete picture of the ARTICHOKE program as participated
in by the Office of Security. Fragmentary information
contained in a variety of files previously maintained by the
Security Research Staff (SRS) reflected several basic papers
which described, in general terms, the program known as
ARTICHOKE. Information contained therein indicated that
prior to 1952, the Office of Security had studied the use
of drugs and chemicals in "unconventional interrogation."
These studies were evidently coordinated with the Agency
unit which was then called OSI. OSI at that time apparently
was the coordinating unit within CIA.
One paper reflected that an Office of Security team.
as early as 1949-50 experimented with drugs and hypnosis
under a project called BLUEBIRD. This paper also reflectaa
that by 1951 actual interrogations utilizing drugs were
conducted by a coml,ined team of Office of Security and Of .ice
of Medical Services personnel, but few detai4s were available.
Hi& information indicated that tn 1952, overall respon-
sibility for Project ARTICHOKE passed from OSI to the Office
of Security. References to operational use of drugs as an
aid to interrogation since that time were found in various
files, but few details concerning these experiments were
reflected. A memorandum, subject title: Project ARTICHOKE,.
dated 21 November 1952, by Mr. Sheffield EDWARDS, reflectea
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transfer of control of Project ARTICHOKE from ,OSI to the
Office of Security. The memorandum indicated that ISO
(ncrirp of Security) should can upon the research and
support facilities of the CIA Medical Staff and the Office
of Technical Services as required. Responsibility for the
evaluation of foreign intelligence aspects of the project
were to remain with OSI.
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The unit within the Office of Security which apparently
coordinated Project ARTICHOKE activities was SRS, with
Mr. kIBMBISMik for many years .the focal point. Details
of Office of Security involvement in individual Project
ARTICHOKE operational utilizations were found in very few
instances. A reference in an SRS log (1951-67) reflected,
however, that SRS had been involved in the experimentation
and use of hypnosis "from the start." In the same refgyence,
it was stated that "SRS has examined and investigated numerous
unusual techniques of interrogation including psychological
harassment and such matters as 'total isolation:" The SRS
log referred to above, which covered a period from 1951 to
1967, indicated that, as of 1967, "the term ARTICHOKE is not
in general use now, and drug interrogation is conducted from
the recommendation of an Agency committee of which the Chief,
SRS, is the Office of Security representative." .No record
was found which reflected when or if overall 'responsibility
for Project ARTICHOKE was transferred from the Office of
Security to any other Agency component.
One of the few areas where detailed information was
available was concerned with hypnotic experimentations. A
log of hypnotic experiments conducted by Office of Security
personnel was reviewed. The log reflected that numerous
(probably several hundred) experiments with hypnotism were '
conducted in Agency buildings, apparently utilizing the staff
employee volunteers as subjects. In some instances,_ repre-
sentatives from Agency components other than the Office of
Security, were present. The log reflected hypnotic experi-
mentations during 1951, 1952, and 1953. It could not be
determined from available file information when the hypnotic
experiments actually began or were caused to be ceased. No
record was located which reflected hypnosis utilized as an
actual operational tool in the.field. In connection with hypno-
tism, it appears that SRS utilized an Agency employee, one
, as an informant in various societies
dealing- with hypnotism to keep abreast of current developments .
in the field.
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Few references were found pertaining to the area of
"total isolation" as An interrogation aid. A memorandum
pertaining to this subject, dated 21 March 1955, was
written by Mr. of SRS to the Director of
Security. The paper discussed "total isolation" techniques
as an operational tool of potential.' Another paper (a
sterilized version, probably written.by an element of'the
Department of Defense) dated 16 March 1955, reflected the
results of "total isolation" experiments on six volunteers,
all members of the U.S. military. No reference was found
to any additional experidents in this field, nor wa'sany
reference found which reflected actual use of this technique
in an operational situation.-
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As far as the experidentation arid/or utilization ?f
various drugs is concerned, references to a few instances
were located, but little detail was available, and it was
clear from the files that much of the detailed information
probably was maintained by Agency units other than the
Office of Security, i.e., the Office of Medical Services
and the Office of Technical Services.
- Among the instances where details *ere located in
which drugs were used in an operational enviponment under
the auspices of Project ARTICHOKE, were the following:
(a) In 1954 three subjects were interrogated
by a Project ARTICHOKE team utilizing drugs of an
unspecified nature. The three subjects were
identified as
and - An �a memorandum dated 13 January.
1955, with a cover sheet signed by Mr..
The interrogations took place inAllinei, and the
memorandum Mentioned injections of "solution ;1" and
"solution ;2," but these drugs were.not further
identified. It was noted in the memorandum that the
cases were handled "under straight drug techniques
� hypnosis or narco-honosis was not attempted." -
(b) A memorandum dated 20 January 1959 to
Mr. '-. from iiiisillaa=ataitg* indicated.
' that a ficAlrequest had been made for a "P-1
interrogation." The writerageftidentified a .
-"P-1 interrogation" as one using LSD. Approval
iiiiiianted on 27 Januar. 1959 by the initials
$" presumably Mr.
No
further reference to the case could be found,
thus no details were available.
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(c) A series of cables between :S=8B and
Headquarters in 1955 requested ARTICHOKE interrogations
for nine persons. No disposition in this instance was
found, however, a transmittal slip affixed to the
materials dated in 1960 indicated that the ARTICHOKE
interrogations probably did not actually take place
in Meow at that time.
(d) A memo contained in the security file of -
reflected that an ARTICHOKE team
was dispatched to4:811MINKO in June 1952 to conduct
ARTICHOKE interrogations on IMINNIMP. No further
reference to this operation was noted, and no dis-
position could be. found.
(e) In the case of 111.011W-
operatioy in drugs were utilized in the
interrogation which took place igafilleiMie Again,
details of the operation were not available. However,
an interview with the Office of Security representative
who participated in the interrogation revealed that a
form of LSD was used in this instance. In this case,
approval was granted'by Headquarters for the ARTICHOKE
interrogation. A memorandum dated 6 July 1960, signed
by Mr. Deputy Directorof Security,
reflected that approval for use of drugs in this case-
was granted at a meeting of the Drug Committee on
1 July 1960 and cabled toftWOMOINN4
As stated earlier, little detail was available in file
information concerning the conduct of actual cases utilizing
Project ARTICHOKE techriiqus; - It appears obvious, however,
that the few cases noted above were only a small part of. the
actual utilization of ARTICHOKE techniques in the field.
For one thing, almost no informationwasavailahle- for the
period prior to 1952, so that Project BLUEBIRD experiments and
operations were not noted specifically. In addition, annual
reports of accomplishments found in SRS log materials reflected
a substantial amount of activity in the Project ARTICHOKE
area. The review for 1953-1954 stated in part that SRS had.
"dispatched an ARTICHCIKE team for permanent -location in an
overseas area." The review for 1954-1955 stated in part that
SRS conducted numerous ARTICHOKE experiments and "prepared
and dispatched an ARTICHOKE team to an overseas area to handle
a number of sensitive cases."
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Review of file materials consistently reflected that
� the Office of Security exercised caution in the utilization
of drugs under the ARTICHOKE Plogram: -Although it is
apparent that SRS for a number of years was .engaged with
certain other Agency components in research and operational
work with hallucinogenic drugs, the work was apparently con-
ducted under strict controls. As previously stated, no
information pertaining to when or if control of Project
� ARTICHOKE was .transferred from the Office of Security to
another Agency component was located. Apparently, SRS at
one time maintained an inventory of ARTICHOKE materials.
which contained numerous drugs of all types including LSD-25.
A memorandum dated 14 October 1957 requested authorization
for SRS to transfer ARTICHOKE materials and apparatus to
Dr. EMORMEMMONIMPof Medical Services. The memorandum was
written by Mr. ANINOSIMMED and approval to transfer the
materials was granted by Mr.10001001111p. on 17 Octobee1957.
In the review of file information contained in SRS
materials, one incident which occurred in November 1953
appears worthy of note. Although it was 'not clear from file
information whether or not the incident occurred under the
auspices of Project ARTICHOKE, the incident did involve use
of LSD in an experimental exercise. One Frank OLSON, a
civilian employee of the Department of the Army, committed
suicide a week or so after having been administered LSD by
an Agency representative. Details concerning this incident
apparently will be reported in a separate memorandum, but
it appears that the drug was administered to several unwitting
subjects by a Dr. GOTTLIEB, at that time a branch chief in
TSS (now OTS). A short time after the LSD was administered,
the subjects were told that they had been given LSD. On
the day following the expeiiment, OLSON began to behave in
a peculiar and erratic manner and was later placed under the
care of a psychiatrist. A few days later, OLSON crashed
through a window in a New York hotel in:an apparent suicide.
A memorandum dated 1 December 1953 from the IC Staff
caused the impoundment of all LSD materials. Information
contained in the above mentioned files reflected that the
drug had been administered without the prior knowledge or
approval of the Office of Security or the Office of Medical
Services.
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It should be noted that the information contained
herein is based on resources available within the Office of
Security only, and no effort has been m4de to delve into
files of other Agency Units such as the Office of Medical
Services or the Office of Technical Services. As the reader
is by now acutely aware, insufficient information was avail-
able to provide a clear understanding of either Project
BLUEBIRD or Project ARTICHOKE. Investigative efforts
reflected that numerous files and collected data had been
routinely purged or destroyed in the normal course of events
at some time in the past.'
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