Psychological warfare is a set of techniques used to alter an enemy’s opinions or state of mind, commonly used in warfare to deter, scare, or convert enemies. It can be strategic or tactical and uses various methods such as “shock and awe” warfare, propaganda, and distribution of pamphlets. Truthful propaganda tends to be more effective than lies.
Psychological warfare, sometimes abbreviated as PSYWAR, describes a set of techniques used to alter an enemy’s opinions or state of mind. It is commonly used in warfare to deter, scare, or convert enemies. Various psychological methods of warfare have been used throughout history to demoralize enemies with the aim of securing military victory with greater ease and minimum bloodshed. The term usually refers to large-scale attempts to alter the minds of a large group of enemies, although psychological warfare techniques can also be applied to individuals to achieve the same goals on a smaller scale.
Psychological methods of warfare are generally grouped into two main categories. Strategic psychological warfare is intended to deter and alter the opinions of large groups of people, military and non-military, over a significant area and over an extended period of time. Tactical psychological warfare, on the other hand, is directed at smaller groups and usually has a specific goal, such as encouraging a small group of enemy soldiers to surrender.
There are many different methods of psychological warfare that are used to achieve different psychological goals. Some methods are primarily intended to frighten and demoralize enemies through displays of excessive force; these methods are referred to as “shock and awe” warfare. An example of this method involves days of endless bombing that is meant to scare away enemies rather than destroy them. Sometimes, loudspeakers are used to project subversive announcements or to play loud, aggressive music also intended to scare and deter enemies.
Another possible goal of psychological warfare is to get enemy soldiers to surrender or to question the reasons that prompt enemy soldiers to war in the first place. This often involves the use of propaganda or information intended to alter the views or ideals of the enemy. In some cases, propaganda radio stations are set up to question the enemy’s beliefs and encourage them to surrender. Another common method is the distribution of pamphlets that include arguments against enemy leaders or instructions on how to surrender. Some even promise safety and rewards to those who decide to surrender.
Claims made by various propaganda sources in psychological warfare may or may not actually be true. Sometimes, they are outright lies intended to convince enemies that the rewards for surrendering are much greater than they really are or that the enemy force is much more powerful than it actually is. Other forms of propaganda are actually truthful, but may omit certain information or target certain information at specific religious, ethnic or political groups. In general, truthful propaganda tends to be a more useful method of psychological warfare, as people often respond with indignation when they discover they have been lied to.
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