Propaganda and Psyops in T2K

[Slappy]

It's not clear to me that there was any reason for the war to have started in canon. Sino-soviet front was a border squabble that got out of hand and the whole german reunification thing set off by a bunch of generals without enough to do.

[Webstral]

Originally Posted by Slappy

It's not clear to me that there was any reason for the war to have started in canon. Sino-soviet front was a border squabble that got out of hand and the whole german reunification thing set off by a bunch of generals without enough to do.

One might view the start of the Twilight War in much the same light as the start of WW1. The powder keg was there, just waiting to be lit by some stray spark. In much the same way that defensive technology and tactics had established dominance over offensive technology and tactics in 1914, both the Soviets in China and the Germans in Germany found that they were unable to bring their respective wars to a satisfactory conclusion with offensive action. Each offensive failure opened up opportunities for other powers with scores (real or imagined) to settle.

Webstral

[Raellus]

I know others have written pretty extensively about the forced reunification of Twilight Germany (Aunschlus [sic] anyone?) but it comes to mind that covert psyops could have played a roll in convincing some E. German units to come over to the "Unity" party.

[pmulcahy11b]

Originally Posted by Webstral

One might view the start of the Twilight War in much the same light as the start of WW1. The powder keg was there, just waiting to be lit by some stray spark. In much the same way that defensive technology and tactics had established dominance over offensive technology and tactics in 1914, both the Soviets in China and the Germans in Germany found that they were unable to bring their respective wars to a satisfactory conclusion with offensive action. Each offensive failure opened up opportunities for other powers with scores (real or imagined) to settle.

Webstral

That reminds me of a one-question final exam I once had in college: "Summarize the origins of the Cold War, starting with the Colonial Period of the 1500s." Believe it or not, there is a clear chain of events there (though it would still be a monster-sized post if I listed it here).

[Matt Wiser]

Sometimes very effective Psyops can be done in a very direct manner: in the Tunisian Campaign in 1943, the Ghurkas had a very effective way of spreading terror amongst German and Italian troops: a Ghurka unit would send out patrols looking for German or Italians also on patrol, and they'd track the enemy until they bedded down for the night. The Ghurkas, if they outnumbered the Germans or Italians, would wait until they were asleep, and then creep up and use their Khukri knives-killing all but one as swiftly and silently as possible. Often, the sole survivor would wake up at dawn surrounded by bodies, and he'd run for his own lines pretty fast to spread the word. The Germans were also afraid of certain French Colonial troops from either Algeria or Morocco: they had a habit of collecting ears... Or try the 1st Special Service Force ("The Devil's Brigade") at Anzio: they'd look for German patrols to ambush, or sneak up on isolated sentries, slit their throats, and leave cardboard signs in German saying "You may be next." The Germans opposite their front would be very nervous, reluctant to go out on patrol, and preferred to stay in their positions. In Burma, the Japanese were deathly afraid of three British divisions: the 11th West African and the 81st and 82nd East African Infantry Divisions. The Japanese thought the rank and file of each division was made up of soldiers recruited from cannibalistic tribes. Not true, but if it made the bad guys lose sleep at night.....(BTW, it's said that Idi Amin was a Sgt. in either the 81st or 82nd Division in 1945, during the final Burma campaign, though others say he wasn't in the Army until 1946).

Or the USMC's PsyWar people in the First Gulf War: they often blared music towards Iraqi positions to try and get them to surrender. It was found that both country and rock drew the most line-crossers wanting to give up, while rap often drew artillery fire (which often drew counter-battery fire via MLRS-the famous "Grid Square Removal Device"...). The Iraqis' "Baghdad Betty" wasn't as good as either Tokyo Rose or Hanoi Hannah: she claimed that while GIs were in the Gulf, movie stars like Bart Simpson were sleeping with their wives.

[Rainbow Six]

Originally Posted by Matt Wiser

...while rap often drew artillery fire...

I can understand the Iraqi point of view here.

[pmulcahy11b]

Originally Posted by Rainbow Six

I can understand the Iraqi point of view here.

We should have used early 80's rap instead of late 80's rap! Rap was actually good back then!

[Mohoender]

Originally Posted by pmulcahy11b

We should have used early 80's rap instead of late 80's rap! Rap was actually good back then!

You should have used Portuguese Fado or Corsican Polyphonic Songs and you would have had to deal with mass suicide more than having to feed prisoners.