Chaos: Charles Manson, the CIA, and the Secret History of the Sixties

O’Neill explores the political backdrop of the 1960s in California, focusing on the government’s covert efforts to neutralize left-wing movements through operations like COINTELPRO (FBI) and CHAOS (CIA). The chapter highlights how federal agencies sought to discredit and undermine the anti-war movement, student protests, and groups like the Black Panthers. COINTELPRO’s goal was to foment violence and distrust among Black nationalist groups, while CHAOS aimed to track and disrupt leftist activities, despite the CIA’s prohibition against domestic operations.

O’Neill outlines how these programs targeted California due to its unique mix of political unrest, including the anti-war movement, the rise of Black militancy, and Hollywood’s support for leftist causes. Governor Ronald Reagan, with support from figures like CIA director John McCone, actively sought to quash the New Left, seeing student activists and Black Panthers as threats to the state’s stability. Both COINTELPRO and CHAOS relied heavily on informants who infiltrated these groups, often inciting violence between rival factions. The programs contributed to high-profile deaths, such as the FBI-instigated killing of Black Panthers on UCLA’s campus.

O’Neill draws connections between these federal efforts and the Manson murders, speculating that the government’s covert actions may have influenced the public’s perception.