Propaganda And Psychological Warfare

There have always been propagandists, some extremely skilled, but the continuing, institutionalized, large-scale attempt at mass political persuasion is a modern phenomenon, not fully developed before the First World War. The study of propaganda is even more recent for, apart from a few pioneering works at the turn of the present century, very little was written before 1930. Professor Qualter discusses the historical development and use, up to and including the Cold War era, of the deliberate attempts by political groups to use propaganda to “form, control, or alter the attitudes of other groups.”

Originally published in 1948 and used as a textbook by the United States Army for years, this authoritative guide provides a complete theoretical exploration of the purpose and nature of propaganda in times of war. Detailing and defining the history, strategies, limitations, and effectiveness of psychological warfare, this reference allows readers to draw comparisons to the modern usage of such techniques that exist in the news media and within advertising and political campaigns.—Print Ed.

Psychological Warfare is by no means a new concept in warfare. To the layman however, this particular aspect of armed conflict has seldom been greeted with understanding, or even acknowledgment. Accordingly, not enouh has been broadly or factually disseminated upon the subject to date. Seeds of Victoy explores in detail the component mechanics of an intensely orchestrated Psychological Warfare campaign, while utilizing the most recent formant of the Persian Gulf War as a case in point for understanding. The tremendous scale of the Persian Gulf War's Psychological Warfare campaign is evidenced by the fact that long before Coalition soldiers fired the first shots in that conflict a different class of army had already ben assembled for months and was fiercely locked in a pitched battle for dominance over Saddam Hussein's citizens and soldiers alike. Far away from blaring headlines and flashy newscasts, violent, graphic images of warfare, civil unrest, starvation, disease, and death were systematically bombarding Saddam Hussein's Empire in wave upon wave of leaflet and radio assoults. That provocative campaign of psychological attrition and dominance is documented within this text through personal intervies with some of the commanders and soldiers who orchestrated and executed that campaign. Their experiences will accompany the reader from the earliest planning and developmental stages, through the production and into the final dissemination phases of demoralization. As a reference source, this text is of historical significance, as it documents in exacting detail the many deceptive Psychological Warfare campaign methodologies and strategies which incited wide spread desertions and mutiny among as many as 150,000 front-line Iraqi combat troops, many of whom were battle hardened veterans of the fierce eight year war with Iran. Seeds of Victory is also unique, in that it has already demonstrated its value within the professional realm of the Psychological Warfare community, since its having been officially adapted by the United States Army's Psychological Warfare Group Command as an instructional and reference work for use within their company-level units.

This is the first book to analyze how the technology to alter images and rapidly distribute them can be used for propaganda and to support deception operations. In the past, propagandists and those seeking to conduct deception operations used crude methods to alter images of real people, events and objects, which could usually be detected relatively easily. Today, however, computers allow propagandists to create any imaginable image, still or moving, with appropriate accompanying audio. Furthermore, it is becoming extremely difficult to detect that an image has been manipulated, and the Internet, television and global media make it possible to disseminate altered images around the world almost instantaneously. Given that the United States is the sole superpower, few, if any, adversaries will attempt to fight the US military conventionally on the battlefield. Therefore, adversaries will use propaganda and deception, especially altered images, in an attempt to level the battlefield or to win a war against the United States without even having to fight militarily. Propaganda and Information Warfare in the 21st Century will be of great interest to students of information war, propaganda, public diplomacy and security studies in general.

Formed in 1937 in the wake ot the Arab revolt, the Irgun Zvai Leumi continued to struggle for the existence of an independent Jewish nation in Palestine until the ceration of the state of Israel in May of 1948. In the face of British opposition and Arab hotility, the Irgun carried on its fight by means of both violence and psychological warfar. In this, it was typical of those underground groups that seek to bring about political change outside constitutional channels by combining the propaganda of the word with the propaganda of the deed. Concentrating on the period 1942-48, the editors demonstrate the methods used by the Irgun to undermine British morale and to qustion the continued legitimacy of the British mandate in Palestine. They also illustrated the tensions among, and the conflicting policies of, the major Jewish underground groups. In so doing, they provide a case study of the methods of political communication by wich a nonstate group can achieve its goals, even whwn opposed by an established government. These documents also will provide insight into the current problems in the Middle East. The perceptions and actions of the Jewish resistance movement, particulrly the Irgun ander the leadership of Menachm Bgin, continue influence the attitudes and policies of Israelis and Arabs alike.