Psychological Operations By United States Department Of The Army

Psychological factors are an integral part of all battlefields. Each unit movement and everyconquest of terrain psychologically affect the battlefield participants and an audience of friendly, neutral, or hostile groups. The psychological effect of combat actions can be seen in theheightened morale of a successful unit or in the discouragement and fear of a defeated unit.Properly manipulated attitudes can modify the behavior and the combat effectiveness of thesoldier and the unit.This manual provides information and guidance for the conduct of psychological operations(PSYOP) in general, limited, and cold war. The doctrine, techniques, and procedures found hereinare applicable to conventional warfare, unconventional warfare (UW), and foreign internaldefense (FID) operations. This manual should be used in conjunction with other official manualsand publications that provide staff organization procedures and guidance for doctrine, fieldoperations, and maintenance of equipment

"Research and writing completed June 1972."--T.p.

This anthology serves as a fundamental guide to PSYOP philosophy, concepts, principles, issues, and thought for both those new to, and those experienced in, the PSYOP field and PSYOP applications. It clarifies the value of PSYOP as a cost-effective weapon and incorporates it as a psychological instrument of U.S. military and political power, especially given our present budgetary constraints. Presents diverse articles that portray the value of the planned use of human actions to influence perceptions, public opinion, attitudes, and behaviors so that PSYOP victories can be achieved in war and in peace.

Psychological Operations American Style examines the historical use of PSYOP by the Unites States in the twentieth century. Over six years into its War on Terrorism, and over thirty years removed from the Vietnam War, the United States continues to cling to its traditional style of PSYOP. It has remained a tangential weapon in the otherwise conventional arsenal employed by Unites States officials in the War on Terrorism. To the extent that Americans have utilized PSYOP, they have remained wedded to the notion of its use as a tactical offensive weapon meant to instill terror in their enemies. While often successful in the short term for securing defection and surrender, this type of PSYOP does little to win hearts and minds over the long haul. As experience in Vietnam demonstrates, using PSYOP only as a tactical weapon possesses the potential to undermine the nation's position by eroding its credibility. It offers civilian officials and military commanders the means to blur the distinction between information and persuasion in order to achieve immediate and demonstrable results. The use of such tactics by the Joint U.S. Public Affairs Office in Vietnam destroyed trust in the information given even at official press conferences. Psychological Operations American Style is ideal for military and diplomatic historians and scholars of the Vietnam War.