Jonestown Massacre Photos (18 November 1978)

**chris** · #1 ● 11-12-2008, 10:59 AM

The Jonestown Massacre occurred on November 18, 1978, in Jonestown, Guyana. Orchestrated by Jim Jones, the leader of the Peoples Temple, a cult that originated in the United States, the event resulted in the deaths of over 900 people, making it one of the largest mass deaths in a single event.

Jones, a charismatic and controlling figure, founded the Peoples Temple in Indiana in the 1950s. He later moved the group to California and eventually to Guyana in 1977, creating the Jonestown settlement. The commune was initially portrayed as a socialist paradise and a sanctuary from media scrutiny, but it soon became clear that it was a controlling and abusive environment.

The massacre unfolded following the visit of U.S. Congressman Leo Ryan, who went to Jonestown to investigate allegations of human rights abuses within the Peoples Temple community. During the visit, several members expressed their desire to leave with Ryan, which led to an attack on the congressman and his delegation, resulting in Ryan's death along with four others.

Following the attack, Jones ordered a mass murder-suicide of his followers. Men, women, and children were coerced or forced to ingest a cyanide-laced drink. Jones himself died of a gunshot wound, and the aftermath revealed 918 deaths, including over 300 children, making it one of the largest mass suicides in history.

You can hear the FBI wiretaps of the event here
http://www.documentingreality.com/fo...estown-114655/