Skip to main content

Proposed Plan for Project ARTICHOKE

Activity #1

Study of Alien [...]

1. As soon as possible we shall begin to assemble, review and assimilate the available information relating to the culture and social structure of the [...] people to provide us with the necessary background and knowledge for dealing with the alien [...] with whom we shall work. We shall try to identify those social psychological forces and cultural patterns which are being utilized by the [...] Communists and which represent their strength. We shall also try to identify those forces which are being combatted by the [...] Communists and which represent their potential weakness.

In order to do this we need access to all relevant information on those subjects possessed by the Agency including the services of knowledgeable Agency specialists. We also intend to draw upon other sources of information such as cultural anthropologists, sociological and anthropological study groups, (e.g. the [...] and the [...] at [...] and persons having special knowledge of the [...] people by virtue of birth, residence or experience. We have access to and shall exploit scientists interested in these fields, some of whom have worked in our Department in the past. We shall use them as consultants or full time participants as required. We shall expand our contacts into every field which represents a potential of information pertinent to our needs.

2. As this information is assimilated by our staff, it will be used as a basis for a general understanding of the attitudes, behavior, patterns, customs, values and motivations common to the [...] people and therefore also common to the group of [...] aliens whom we shall study individually. This general study of [...] culture and social structure will be a continuing activity of the [...] but its primary purpose will be the psychological assessment of individual [...] aliens.

3. In order to effect this activity, the [...] will undertake an overt scientific study of the "ecological aspects of disease" in a group of "displaced [...] -- a group which is considered to be "under stress" because of their present situation and therefore represents a legitimate group for open study by scientists normally interested in the relation between life situation and disease. This projected study of alien [...] would be considered a normal research activity on our part because there is presently underway a study of a group of [...] immigrants. We will submit a Bill of Particulars to the Agency giving the Requirements for selecting such individuals when we wish to study. We will require help in locating these [...] aliens and will rely on the services of the [...] in procuring desirable candidates. As these candidates become available, and as a part of the interviewing procedures, they will be asked to cooperate in an assessment of their "mental and physical health" and the effect which their experiences have had upon them. This will involve a number of intensive psychiatric interviews and the application of psychological and physical tests.

4. From this survey we hope to identify some agent candidates of high potential. These persons will be given an opportunity "to participate in further activities of the [...]." In order to enable them to do so, some of them will be given short "fellowships" providing a better income than that which the subjects were receiving; they will be asked to perform duties consistent with their abilities and training, and will be treated with dignity, respect and kindly understanding. At the same time, they will be asked to participate in further intensive interviews and psychological tests. They will also be exposed to testing and "stress producing" situations both in the laboratory and in daily life. The effect of this will be to uncover their personality patterns, past conditioning and present motivations and provide us with an indication of their probable future performance in various situations. Through this intensive testing we will develop a thorough knowledge of our Subjects and hope to find some persons, who by virtue of their background and conditioning have the personality and character of good high-level long range agents (see Activity #4), and who also can be expected to find the philosophy and practices of the [...] Communists strongly opposed to some of their basic drives and motivations. We will further extend the period of "fellowship" to such subjects and will utilize the methods and information developed under activity #3 (q.v.) to play upon the known psychological forces at work within these people in order to make them receptive to recruitment by our intelligence service.

5. The recruitment of these individuals will be carried out by Agency personnel not associated with the [...] but the approach to these Subjects and their subsequent management as intelligence agents will be guided by our knowledge of each agent's personality and character structure with full recognition of his areas of susceptibility, strengths and weaknesses. We, therefore, expect that selected Case Officers, who will be assigned to the recruitment, development, and management of agents processed through this program, will participate in the [...] and receive instruction in these methods pertinent to their assigned operational duties.

6. These intelligence agents, once recruited, will be given the advantage of all of our technical knowledge and methods which will assist them to withstand the "interrogation," "brainwashing" and counter espionage activities to which they will be exposed once they return to Communist [...] (See Activities #2 and #3).

7. Contingent upon the availability of a cleared staff and a secure and adequate facility, we are prepared to initiate the interview and assessment of alien [...] candidates and the selection of those for our "Fellowships." The initial survey of interviews and testing will occupy only a few days of each candidate's time. This survey program will be a continuing activity of our [...]. As satisfactory candidates are uncovered, they will be offered initial "Fellowships" of 3 to 6 months' duration; extensions will be for 3 to 6 month intervals. Candidates who have not all requirements should be ready for recruitment as intelligence agents in approximately 9 months to 1 year after initial contact with the [...].

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Further Reading: CHAOS: Charles Manson, the CIA, and the Secret History of the Sixties

For readers wanting to dive into topics covered in the fascinating CHAOS: Charles Manson, the CIA, and the Secret History of the Sixties by Tom O'Neill with Dan Piepenbring, here is a compendium of books used as sources as part of this 20-year investigative effort. It makes for a great reading list for those interested in the 1960s, FBI, CIA, the counter-culture and the history of the United States of the past century. Choose a topic (organized here by the CHAOS's chapters and each book's first appearance therein) and dive in further down the rabbit hole. CHAPTER 1: The Crime of the Century Helter Skelter: The True Story of the Manson Murders   by   Vincent Bugliosi with Curt Gentry, 1974 Will You Die For Me? The Man Who Killed For Charles Manson Tells His Own Story  by Tex Watson as told to Chaplain Ray, 1978 My Life with Charles Manson   by Paul Watkins with Guillermo Soledad, 1979 CHAPTER 2: An Aura of Danger Heroes And Villains: The True Story Of The B

CIA Domestic Activities Timeline - August 1972

1 August 1972 DDS related that Mr. [...] of the CI Staff received a call from the Secret Service requesting our training film on defensive driving. The Director interposed no objection to making this film available. 8 August 1972 Houston reported that Judge McArdle granted a motion for summary judgment in the Tofte case. 21 August 1972 Houston noted a telephone call from Howard Hunt who explained that his attorney was with him and had a question about a friend's past affiliation with the Agency. [...] DD/Sec, has reviewed the employment, and Houston reported that he replied directly to Hunt's friend, Mr. [...] that his old affiliation should create no problems in connection with his appearance before a grand jury. 22 August 1972 Thuermer reported on a call from a Mr. Crewdson of the New York Times who said he was "formally requesting" a photograph of Howard Hunt. The DDP observed that we are under no obligation to provide a photograph, and Thuermer said he had decline

CIA Domestic Activities Timeline - July 1971

1 July 1971 "Carver noted that Secretary Laird had requested that our printing plant assist in reproducing the forty-seven-volume secret Pentagon study on Vietnam for distribution to the press and others this morning. This request was aborted by the President." (DDCI in the chair) 2 July 1971 "DD/S said that in the absence of [...] attended a meeting at the White House yesterday of the interagency group which is reviewing classification and declassification policy. The President spent an hour with the group and said that he wants: ... and (6) the revocation of all clearances and the return of all classified material held at Harvard, Brookings, Rand, and Cal Tech, as well as the withdrawal of Q clearances held by the Regents of the University of California. A brief discussion followed, and the Executive Director noted that DOD has asked us to provide information on all our contracts with Rand, as well as all clearances held by Rand personnel for our purposes. Acting Direc