[58], "Discussion" about current events often took the form of Jones interrogating individual followers about the implications and subtexts of a given news item, or delivering lengthy and often confused monologues on how to "read" certain events. Why did Jim Jones, a charismatic American preacher and leader of the People's Temple, compel his members in 1978 to commit 'revolutionary suicide' in northern G Chilling interviews with Peoples Temple survivors along with newly declassified archival material offer . [130], Two Temple members, Vernon Gosney (19532021) and Monica Bagby (19602009), made the first move for defection that night. [129] While the party was received warmly, Jones said he felt like a dying man and ranted about government conspiracies and martyrdom as he decried attacks by the press and his enemies. "[17][18] Jones had an interest in Joseph Stalin, Mao Zedong, and Adolf Hitler from a young age, and would later frequently praise Stalin and Vladimir Lenin as heroes. [165] As more Temple members died, eventually the guards themselves were called in to die by poison. [170] Prokes and the Carter brothers were put into protective custody in Port Kaituma. The name of the settlement became synonymous with the incidents at those locations.[3]. [218] In 1980, an investigation by the United States House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence found no evidence of CIA activity in Jonestown. [209][210][211] including a Soviet-published book a decade later. "[40] Jones wanted to construct a model community and claimed that Burnham "couldn't rave enough about us, the wonderful things we do, the project, the model of socialism". J. J. Abrams: Simon Pegg: Mission: Impossible III (2006), Star Trek (2009), Star Trek Into Darkness (2013), Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015) : 4 James McGarth: Star Trek (2009), Star Trek Into Darkness (2013), Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015) : 3 Tony Guma: Mission: Impossible III (2006), Star Trek (2009), Anatomy of Hope (2009, TV), Super 8 (2011), Star Trek . [29] According to Carter, the Temple concluded that Guyana, an English-speaking, socialist country with a predominantly indigenous population and with a government including prominent black leaders, would afford black Temple members a peaceful place to live. In response to reactions of seeing the poison take effect on others, Jones counseled, "Die with a degree of dignity. The poisonings in Jonestown followed the murder of five others by Temple members at Port Kaituma, including Congressman Leo Ryan, an act that Jones ordered. I tell you, I don't care how many screams you hear, I don't care how many anguished cries death is a million times preferable to 10 more days of this life. Members are captivated; his lust for power becomes unstoppable. Mootoo concluded that a gunshot wound to Annie Moore could not have been self-inflicted, though Moore had also ingested a lethal dose of cyanide. [15][16] In doing so, the Temple preached that "those who remained drugged with the opiate of religion had to be brought to enlightenment socialism. The following is a letter of instructions regarding all of our assets that we want to leave to the Communist Party of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. Jonestown: Terror in the Jungle is a documentary that takes a four-hour look at the horrors of Jonestown massacre and its painful aftermath on the 40th anniversary of the tragedy in People's Temple Guyana. In 1977, Jones, the self-proclaimed "messiah" of his evangelical flock, led his followers to a remote jungle in Guyana to live in Jonestown. To learn whether the rumours coming from the jungle were true, California congressman Leo Ryan travelled to Guyana. [155], Meanwhile, some passengers had boarded the larger Twin Otter. Layton could not be tried in the U.S. for the attempted murders of Gosney, Bagby, Dale Parks, and the Cessna pilot on Guyanese soil and was, instead, tried under a federal statute against assassinating members of Congress and internationally protected people (Ryan and Dwyer). [149] While Ryan was unhurt after others wrestled Sly to the ground, Dwyer strongly suggested that the congressman leave Jonestown while he filed a criminal complaint against Sly. English. [194][195] The last shipment of bodies arrived early on the morning of November 27, 1978. [106] Jones stated before the speech, "For many years, we have let our sympathies be quite publicly known, that the United States government was not our mother, but that the Soviet Union was our spiritual motherland. [41] Jones did not permit members to leave Jonestown without his express prior permission. [30][31][32], In 1974, after traveling to an area of northwestern Guyana with Guyanese officials, Jones and the Temple negotiated a lease of over 3,800 acres (1,500ha) of land in the jungle located 150 miles (240km) west of the Guyanese capital of Georgetown. Sign up for a free trial to watch Jonestown: Terror in the Jungle and other popular TV shows, classic movies, AMC+ Originals and more. "[160], After Ryan's departure from Jonestown towards Port Kaituma, Marceline Jones made a broadcast on the public address system, stating that everything was all right, and asking residents to return to their homes. Director Actor Films # Ref. [180] This observation concurs with the testimony of Clayton, who, having previously fled into the jungle, heard the same sounds as he was sneaking back into Jonestown to retrieve his passport. During the Siege, Jones spoke to Temple members about attacks from outsiders and had them surround Jonestown with guns and machetes. Neville Annibourne, representing Guyana's Ministry of Information; This page was last edited on 4 January 2023, at 09:14. [190] The more seriously wounded slept in a small tent at the airstrip. [34], In 1974, Guyanese officials granted the Temple permission to import certain items "duty free". No other specific reference is made to the events of the day. [22] In the early 1970s, the Temple opened other branches in Los Angeles and San Francisco, and would eventually move its headquarters to San Francisco. [89] In May 1978, a Temple doctor wrote a memo to Jones asking permission to test cyanide on Jonestown's pigs, as their metabolism was close to that of human beings. Rhodes reported being in close contact with dying children.[169]. Tim Carter and his brother Mike, aged 30 and 20, and Mike Prokes, 31, were given luggage containing $550,000 in U.S. currency, $130,000 in Guyanese currency, and an envelope, which they were told to deliver to the Soviet embassy in Georgetown. The destination of this exodus was Cuba. Because it stood on poor soil, Jonestown was not self-sufficient and had to import large quantities of commodities such as wheat. [51], For the first several months, Temple members worked six days a week, from approximately 6:30a.m. to 6:00p.m., with an hour for lunch. "[133], Ryan, Speier, Dwyer, and Annibourne stayed the night in Jonestown while other members of the delegation, including the press corps and members of Concerned Relatives, were told that they had to find other accommodations. [4][5] In contrast, most sources today refer to the deaths with terms such as mass murder-suicide,[6] a massacre,[7][8] or simply mass murder. Ryan was killed after being shot more than twenty times. [176] Grover Davis, 79, who was hearing-impaired, missed the announcement to assemble on the loudspeaker, lay down in a ditch and pretended to be dead. [146], While most of the Ryan delegation began to depart on a large dump truck to the Port Kaituma airstrip, Ryan and Dwyer stayed behind in Jonestown to process any additional defectors. They were led to their deaths by cult leader Jim Jones, a charismatic preacher who turned into an egomaniacal demagogue. Moore and Layton were selected among those autopsied, in part, because of the urging of the Moore family, including Rebecca Moore, the sister of the two victims, who was not a Temple member herself.[182]. The group, which included Congressman Ryan's daughter Patricia, was involved in various personal, social and legal battles with a range of religious organizations, from The Family International and Scientology to David Koresh's Branch Davidians, where they were found to be influential on law enforcement's concerns for children in the eventual Waco siege in 1993. [117] Jones told Lane he wanted to "pull an Eldridge Cleaver" and return to the U.S. after repairing his reputation. After the shootings, the Cessna's pilot Tom Fernandez, along with the pilot and co-pilot of the Twin Otter, Captain Guy Spence and First officer Astil Rodwell Paul, as well as the injured Monica Bagby, fled in the Cessna to Georgetown. Q 042) (November 18, 1978)", "Jonestown Death Ritual Described by Survivor", "Emotional Effects on USAF Personnel of Recovering and Identifying Victims from Jonestown, Guyana", "Jonestown's Dead: Many Lost Identities Along With Lives", "Jonestown Massacre Remains Discovered in Del", "5 Jonestown Massacre Victims Found in Del. [183], Guyanese authorities waived their requirement for autopsies in the case of unnatural death. [146] Al's wife, Bonnie, summoned on the loudspeakers by Temple staff, loudly denounced her husband. It has a very high rating on IMDb: 8 stars . Veterans of the 'Siege' were held in high regard in Jonestown, and in numerous addresses Jones tearfully recalled their stoic courage on the 'front line. Reeleased 40 years after the events of the 1978 Jonestown mass murder-'suicide' that killed more than 900 Americans, this documentary tells the history of th. The entourage had originally scheduled a 19-passenger Twin Otter from Guyana Airways to fly them back to Georgetown. [66] Medical problems, such as severe diarrhea and high fevers, struck half the community in February 1978. Jonestown's primary means of communication with the outside world was a shortwave radio. During meetings and public addresses, his once-sharp speaking voice often sounded slurred; words ran together or were tripped over. [9][10] Seventy or more individuals at Jonestown were injected with poison, and a third of the victims (304) were minors. [49] Jones left the same night that an editor at New West magazine read him an article to be published by Marshall Kilduff detailing allegations of abuse by former Temple members. [52] After Jones arrived, however, Jonestown life significantly changed. [57], Nothing in the way of film or recorded TV, shown on the commune's closed-circuit system, no matter how innocuous or seemingly politically neutral, could be viewed without a Temple staffer present to "interpret" the material for the viewers. Directly after this, Jones stated that "the Red Brigade's the only one that made any sense anyway," and, "the Red Brigade showed them justice." "[143] Jones gave the two families, along with Gosney and Bagby, permission to leave. [121] Ryan was friends with the father of Bob Houston, a Temple member in California whose mutilated body was found near train tracks on October 5, 1976, three days after a taped telephone conversation with Houston's ex-wife in which leaving the Temple was discussed. [170] Rhodes volunteered to fetch a stethoscope and hid under a building. While in the jungle near the settlement, they heard gunshots. [120], Jones often mentioned chronic insomnia; he would often say he went for three or four days without any rest. On 18th November 1978, over 900 men, women and children lost their lives at Jonestown, a remote settlement established by the People's Temple in northern Guyana. When asked directly about parallels to the current president, Guinn explained that all religious and political leaders are demagogues to some extent, using fear and separatism to obtain the loyalty of followers. Jones's excessive drug use, irrational behaviour and the isolation of his followers raised the alarm back home. [46][47] Viola Burnham, the wife of the prime minister, was also a strong advocate of the Temple. So did everyone else. Those five were publicly identified in the hope that family would claim their remains; all five remain unclaimed by family and have been interred at the Jonestown Memorial at Evergreen Cemetery in Oakland, CA, along with the remains of approximately half of those who perished on November 18, 1978. Temple defector Deborah Layton described the event in an affidavit: Everyone, including the children, was told to line up. The panic reached such a point that an ad hoc evacuation was ordered by Jones, with dozens of townsfolk hastily loaded onto boats on the George River. A work of investigative journalism that presents the theory that the Central Intelligence Agency employed the Reverend Jim Jones to administer a pharmaceutical field test in mind control and ethnic weaponry to a large test group, namely the . The Temple produced memoranda discussing potential places within the U.S.S.R. in which they might settle. [165], According to escaped Temple member Odell Rhodes, the first to take the poison were Ruletta Paul and her one-year-old infant. [120], Reiterman was surprised by the severe deterioration of Jones' health when he saw him in Jonestown on November 17, 1978. [151] The truck departing to the airstrip had stopped after the passengers heard of the attack on Ryan, and took him as a passenger before continuing its journey towards the airstrip.[152]. [214][215], The bodies of over 400 of those who died are buried in a mass grave at Evergreen Cemetery in Oakland, California. [187] Later, after police arrived at the headquarters, Sharon escorted her children, Liane (21), Christa (11), and Martin (10), into a bathroom. "[40] Jones' wife Marceline described Jonestown as "dedicated to live for socialism, total economic and racial and social equality. "[198] Acquittal in a Guyanese court did not free Layton, who was promptly deported back to the U.S. and arrested by the US Marshals Service upon arrival in San Francisco. A 1980 newspaper column by Jack Anderson also claimed that the CIA was involved in the Jonestown Massacre, and speculated that Deputy Chief of Mission of the U.S. Embassy to Guyana Richard Dwyer had ties to the CIA. The Jonestown project quickly begins to implode. See production, box office & company info, Self - author of 'The Road to Jonestown: Jim Jones and Peoples Temple', Self - author of 'Hearing the Voices of Jonestown', Self - journalist, San Francisco Chronicle, Jonestown: The Life and Death of Peoples Temple, Ministry of Evil: The Twisted Cult of Tony Alamo, Atlanta's Missing and Murdered: The Lost Children. [85] During such events, Jones would sometimes give the Jonestown members four options: attempt to flee to the Soviet Union, commit "revolutionary suicide", stay in Jonestown and fight the purported attackers, or flee into the jungle. [42], The Temple established offices in Georgetown and conducted numerous meetings with Burnham and other Guyanese officials. [201] George Gallup stated that "few events, in fact, in the entire history of the Gallup Poll have been known to such a high percentage of the US public". [135][141][142] When Jones' adopted son Johnny attempted to talk Jerry Parks out of leaving, Parks told him, "No way, it's nothing but a communist prison camp. [68] This "torture hole", along with beatings, became the subject of rumor among local Guyanese. [161] During this time, aides prepared a large metal tub with grape Flavor Aid, poisoned with diphenhydramine, promethazine, chlorpromazine, chloroquine, chloral hydrate, diazepam,[162] and cyanide. [176] They were later released in Georgetown. Several defectors voiced their suspicions about Larry Layton's motives. However, no determination was made as to whether those injections initiated the introduction of poison or whether they were so-called "relief" injections to quicken death and reduce suffering from convulsions from those who had previously taken poison orally. James Warren Jones" to the Peoples Temple, members of the press, and members of Congress. On 18th November 1978, over 900 men, women and children lost their lives at Jonestown, a remote settlement established by the People's Temple in northern Guyana. [34], As 500 members began the construction of Jonestown, the Temple encouraged more to relocate to the settlement. Jonestown, Jim Jones, Peoples Temple, BBC, Documentary. The Peoples Temple Agricultural Project, better known by its informal name "Jonestown", was a remote settlement in Guyana established by the Peoples Temple, a U.S.-based cult under the leadership of Jim Jones. Jonestown: Terror in the Jungle (2018) Full Cast & Crew See agents for this cast & crew on IMDbPro Series Directed by Series Writing Credits Series Cast Series Produced by Series Cinematography by Series Film Editing by Series Casting By Barbara McNamara . Accordingly, the U.S. embassy arranged for a second plane, a six-passenger Cessna. [118], Jones' health significantly declined in Jonestown. [91] Jones would call "Alert, Alert, Alert" over the community loudspeaker to call the community together in the central pavilion. [33] The site, located near the disputed border with Venezuela, was isolated and had soil of low fertility, even by Guyanese standards. Ryan stated that none of the 60 relatives he had targeted for interviews wanted to leave, the 14 defectors constituted a very small portion of Jonestown's residents, that any sense of imprisonment the defectors had was likely because of peer pressure and a lack of physical transportation, and even if 200 of the 900+ wanted to leave, "I'd still say you have a beautiful place here. When the time came when we should have dropped dead, Rev. If you knew what was ahead of you if you knew what was ahead of you, you'd be glad to be stepping over tonight. Fearing further repercussions, he moved his loyal followers to a remote jungle settlement in Guyana, claiming they would create a utopia there. published by BBC broadcasted as part of BBC Storyville series [188] Then Liane assisted Sharon in cutting her own throat, after which Liane killed herself.[188]. (2 episodes, 2018) Jonestown: Terror in the Jungle HD CC Nonfiction 2018 $9.99 EPISODE 1 Making of a Madman Sadistic preacher Jim Jones forms The Peoples Temple after an unusual childhood. [8][13], The Peoples Temple was formed by Jim Jones in Indianapolis, Indiana, in 1955. The buildings were mostly destroyed by a fire in the mid-1980s, after which the ruins were left to decay and be reclaimed by the jungle. And "His hatred of racism, sexism, elitism, and mainly classism, is what prompted him to make a new world for the people a paradise in the jungle. After a slew of legal and fiscal issues, CAN disbanded in 1996. Jim Jones grew up and established the People's Temple in rural Indiana. Jim McElvane, a former therapist who had arrived in Jonestown only two days earlier, assisted Jones by arguing against Miller's resistance to suicide, stating "Let's make it a beautiful day" and later citing possible reincarnation. [202], The Cult Awareness Network (CAN), a group aimed at deprogramming members of cults, was formed soon after the Jonestown deaths. Jim Jones created an elaborate ruse to convince his followers that he could cure cancer right before their eyes.The JONESTOWN: Terror in the Jungle 2-night s. Many contemporary media accounts after the events called the deaths a mass suicide. As we passed through the line, we were given a small glass of red liquid to drink. more EPISODE 2 On the Run The press exposes the dark side of Jim Jones, causing a mass exodus to Jonestown. [116], During the summer of 1978, Jones sought the legal services of Mark Lane and Donald Freed, both Kennedy assassination conspiracy theorists, to help make the case of a "grand conspiracy" by U.S. intelligence agencies against the Temple. [74] It was later reported and verified by audio tapes recovered by investigators that Jones had run rehearsals on how to convince Ryan's delegation that everyone was happy and in good spirits. [27], The Temple chose Guyana, in part, because of the group's own socialist politics, which were moving further to the left during the selection process. A syringe without a needle fitted was used to squirt poison into the infant's mouth, after which Paul squirted another syringe into her own mouth. [88], The Temple had received monthly half-pound shipments of cyanide since 1976 after Jones obtained a jeweler's license to buy the chemical, purportedly to clean gold. [112] The repercussions were devastating for the Temple's reputation, and made most former supporters more suspicious of the Temple's claims that it was the victim of a "rightist vendetta". Jones' recorded readings of the news were part of the constant broadcasts over Jonestown's tower speakers, such that all members could hear them throughout the day and night. He led the Peoples Temple, a new religious movement, between 1955 and 1978.In what he called "revolutionary suicide", Jones and the members of his inner circle orchestrated a mass murder-suicide in his remote jungle commune at Jonestown, Guyana, on November 18, 1978. Members are captivated; his lust for power becomes unstoppable. [177][178][179] Prokes and the Carter brothers soon ditched most of the money and were apprehended heading for a Temple boat at Port Kaituma. [169] Stanley Clayton also witnessed mothers with their babies first approach the tub containing the poison. [122] Over the following months, Ryan's interest was further aroused by the allegations put forth by Stoen, Layton, and the Concerned Relatives.[122]. [174] His death was caused by a gunshot wound to his left temple that Guyanese Chief Medical Examiner Leslie Mootoo stated was consistent with being self-inflicted. [151] There were perhaps nine shooters whose identities are not all certainly known, but most sources agree that Joe Wilson, Stanley Gieg, Thomas Kice Sr., and Ronnie Dennis were among them. [200] In February 1979, 98% of Americans polled said that they had heard of the tragedy. After escaping Jonestown, Rhodes arrived in Port Kaituma on the night of November 18, 1978. Rhodes described a scene of both hysteria and confusion as parents watched their children die from the poison. It was there that the abuse and misconduct at the heart of the People's Temple attracted the attention of the press, ruining Jones's public image. Documentary series that examines the Jonestown Massacre 40 years later. According to them, they talked their way past two armed guards and made it to the jungle, before eventually arriving in Port Kaituma. Lay down your life with dignity; don't lay down with tears and agony." They were led to their deaths by cult leader Jim Jones, a charismatic preacher who turned into an egomaniacal demagogue. Pas : USA USA [127], Only Ryan, Speier, Lane and Garry were initially accepted into Jonestown, while the rest of Ryan's group was allowed in after sunset. [98] He also wrote to the State Department inquiring about North Korea and Albania, then enduring the Sino-Albanian split. [97], After the Six Day Siege, Jones no longer believed the Guyanese could be trusted. Surrounding them, Jones claimed, were mercenaries bent on murder, as well as the abduction of Jones' son John Victor Stoen and others. [51] School study and nighttime lectures for adults turned to Jones' discussions about revolution and enemies, with lessons focusing on Soviet alliances, Jones' crises, and the purported "mercenaries" sent by Tim Stoen, who had defected from the Temple and turned against the group. It's based on theJeff Guinness book about the massacre, and Guinness is perhaps the most prominent talking head. He had stated that he preferred to stay within the Guyanese borders because of the sovereignty it afforded them. The story is based on the 2017 book by "Road to Jonestown" by Jeff Guinn. Jonestown: Rebuilding my life after surviving the massacre. In addition to Soviet documentaries, political thrillers such as The Parallax View, The Day of the Jackal, State of Siege, and Z were repeatedly screened and minutely analyzed by Jones. [27] He was skillful in presenting the Guyanese government the benefits of allowing the Peoples Temple to establish a settlement in the country. ", "What was Peoples Temple's plan to move to the Soviet Union? This has led to the phrase "drinking the Kool-Aid", referring to a person or group holding an unquestioned belief, argument, or philosophy without critical examination. [184], Moore also left a note, which in part stated: "I am at a point right now so embittered against the world that I don't know why I am writing this. [23], With the move to San Francisco came increasing political involvement by the Temple and the high levels of approval they received from the local government. [99], Sharon Amos, Michael Prokes, Matthew Blunt, Timothy Regan,[100] and other Temple members took active roles in the "Guyana-Korea Friendship Society", which sponsored two seminars on the revolutionary concepts of Kim Il Sung. Because of the defectors departing Jonestown, the group grew in number and now an additional aircraft was required. [173], Jones was found dead lying next to his chair in the pavilion between two other bodies, his head cushioned by a pillow.
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