Tripped: Nazi Germany, the CIA, and the Dawn of the Psychedelic Age Authored By Norman Ohler

Tripped by Norman Ohler is a provocative exploration of the hidden history linking Nazi psychedelic research to the origins of the CIA’s infamous MKUltra program and the shaping of America’s War on Drugs. Building on the success of his bestseller Blitzed, Ohler delves into the chaotic aftermath of World War II, focusing on Berlin in 1945. With the city divided among the Allied powers, drug use, previously suppressed by Nazi policies, surged once more. In the American-controlled zone, Arthur J. Giuliani of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics was tasked with uncovering the secrets behind Nazi drug laws and retrieving anything of potential use for the United States.

This dark and unsettling history takes a dramatic turn when Harvard professor Dr. Henry Beecher begins collaborating with the U.S. government to unravel the Nazis' psychedelic experiments. Originally initiated with mescaline and later expanded to LSD, these experiments aimed at mind control and truth serums were eagerly pursued by the CIA in its quest for psychological dominance during the Cold War. The book traces how these experiments, spearheaded by MKUltra, not only pushed the boundaries of ethical research but also profoundly influenced U.S. drug policies for decades.

Tripped is a meticulously researched account that challenges conventional narratives, revealing how these clandestine operations hindered the therapeutic potential of psychedelics and laid the groundwork for the War on Drugs. Ohler’s work offers a chilling reminder of the long shadows cast by Nazi ideology and its covert impact on postwar American society, making it an essential read for those interested in history, politics, and the dark intersections of science and power. 📚❤️