Psychological Warfare Flashcards
(32 cards)
Psychological Warfare
The strategic use of communication, perception, and influence tactics in warfare to undermine the morale, decision-making, or legitimacy of opponents. More than propaganda, it includes deception, confusion, and demoralization.
Propaganda vs. Psychological War
Propaganda targets belief; psychological warfare targets both beliefs and behaviors using multi-channel influence: leaflets, media, fear campaigns, and strategic disinformation.
Strategic Communication
Coordinated, planned use of information, media, and messaging by states or military bodies to shape public perception and legitimize military or political action.
Holmqvist (2013) - Core Thesis
Modern war includes non-recognition as violence. Strategic communication frames opponents as illegitimate (e.g. ‘terrorists’), thus justifying their exclusion and destruction without negotiation.
Violence of Non-Recognition
Psychological warfare not only targets minds but identities—denying the legitimacy or even humanity of opponents through labels, narratives, or media framing.
Example: Vietnam Leaflet Campaigns
US dropped leaflets warning villagers not to help Viet Cong, attempting to create fear, disorientation, and reduce civilian support for insurgents.
‘Bombing as Communication’
Gregory argues that bombing in Vietnam was not just physical but a communicative act intended to send a message to populations and enemy leadership.
Cold War Psywar
US deployed media (Radio Free Europe, VOA) and cultural strategies (jazz, abstract art) to erode Soviet ideological legitimacy and promote capitalist democracy.
Winning ‘Hearts and Minds’
Controversial strategy: aims to gain support through aid, education, propaganda. Often undermined by contradictory acts (e.g. torture, civilian deaths).
Failure in Iraq and Afghanistan
US attempts to win hearts and minds failed due to collateral damage, lack of trust, drone strikes, and cultural misunderstandings.
Office of War Information
US WWII body coordinating psychological operations and media messaging to mobilize domestic and international support and demoralize the enemy.
CIA Media Operations
During Cold War, CIA funded journalists and outlets to control narratives, including funding for anti-communist media globally.
Theoretical Link – Arendt (1972)
Politics often relies on ‘truthful lies’; strategic deception is a tool of governance and a weapon in psychological war.
Foucault and Biopolitics
Power is not just about violence but about shaping knowledge, behavior, and populations—relevant in managing perceptions and morale in war.
Post-2022 Developments
Ukraine-Russia war shows modern psywar via TikTok, Telegram, deepfakes, and AI-driven disinformation. Social media battles mirror ground warfare.
Deepfakes and AI in PsyWar
AI-generated content (fake speeches, videos) is used to confuse, mislead, and destabilize public trust, making psywar more subtle and scalable.
Cyber Psychological Warfare
Using digital tools to conduct perception and morale-based warfare—via hacking, false flag ops, and mass disinformation on social media.
PsyWar in Colonial Contexts
Colonial powers used media, language, and schooling to divide tribes, undermine resistance, and frame anti-colonial actors as criminals.
Non-State PsyWar Actors
Groups like ISIS use psywar via social media propaganda, recruitment videos, and fear tactics to gain influence beyond military reach.
Strategic Communication Failures
When messaging doesn’t align with on-the-ground realities, it leads to public distrust. Example: US claims of ‘liberation’ in Iraq vs. civilian deaths.
Media as Battlefield
Modern wars include ‘information terrain’. Who controls the narrative often controls legitimacy. Social media platforms are now weaponized.
Information Dominance
The ability to control, deny, or distort information for strategic gain. Central to modern military doctrine.
Gramsci and Hegemony
Winning consent through ideology is crucial in psywar. Control over culture and media helps sustain power without direct coercion.
Example: Russia’s Disinformation Strategy
Russia uses online troll farms, fake news, and social media to manipulate foreign elections and perceptions of legitimacy (e.g., US 2016 elections).
