This era was not marked only by missiles and war efforts but also by secret research carried out by scientists in secluded laboratories around the globe. The Cold War was also characterized by attempts at taking control of the most potent weapon in human history, the human psyche.

As tension increased between the rival superpowers during the Cold War era, so did the paranoia concerning ideological subversive activities. Brainwashing, coercion, and forced confessions contributed to the climate of suspicion in the intelligence circles. As a result of these concerns, the United States launched one of the most infamous covert projects of all time, Project MKUltra.

Launched and managed by the Central Intelligence Agency, Project MKUltra was aimed at investigating the boundaries of the human psyche and ways of controlling it. This clandestine project included various experiments involving hypnosis, psychoactive drugs, sensory deprivation, and conditioning. The more ambitious Project MKUltra became, the less moral was its conduct. The notion of consent disappeared. Accountability became an issue. And the borderline between security measures and violation of basic human rights grew ever narrower.

In this world of uncertainty, one thing stands clear:

Can you control the mind? Can you control the world?