Psychological warfare

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The term psychological warfare is used to describe methods that military use in war-time. We may understand it as an attempt to influence the behavior/beliefs of enemy armed forces and/or foreign civilian populations. Psychological warfare has many similarities with propaganda messages.

Term

US Army PSYOP specialist sets up a loudspeaker system to broadcast messages to the local people of Narizah, Afghanistan

The term "psychological warfare" has always been considered problematic and offensive. The use of military power is increasingly not any more on the level of an local armored conflict, but on the global basis using mass media. The NATO uses the term "psychological operation" (PSYOP).

People are trying not to use the term "psychological warfare". They would rather use terms like "stabilisation" or "satisfaction".

History

Psychological warfare has mostly been introduced in the second world war. Both Axis Powers and Allied used it.

• The United States and United Kingdom used the famous German expatriate to appeal to the German population through broadcast.

Psychological Warfare Media

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  A leaflet by NATO during the bombing of Yugoslavia

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  Mosaic of Alexander the Great on his campaign against the Persian Empire

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  A leaflet meant to be dropped from an American B-17 over German cities (see the file description page for a translation).

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  Map depicting the targets of all the subordinate plans of Operation Bodyguard.

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  A dummy Sherman tank, used to deceive the Germans.

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  "Viet Cong, beware!" – South Vietnam leaflets urging the defection of Viet Cong.

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  An American PSYOP leaflet disseminated during the Iraq War. It shows a caricature of Al-Qaeda in Iraq leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi caught in a rat trap. The caption reads "This is your future, Zarqawi".

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  U.S. Army soldier hands out a newspaper to a local in Mosul, Iraq.

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  U.S. Army loudspeaker team in action in Korea

Related pages

• Ad hominem
• Divide and conquer
• Hate speech
• Identity politics
• Military
• Pork barrel
• Propaganda
• Psychology
• Red herring
• Smear campaign
• War

References

• Paul Linebarger: Psychological Warfare. Ayer, 1972. ISBN 978-0-405-04755-8
• Günther Wirth: Krieg vor dem Kriege. Streiflichter auf Inhalt und Methoden der psychologischen Kriegführung des Imperialismus, Berlin, Union Verlag 1978 (German)