Report on the interrogation of eight German Air Force prisoners of war conducted by Cyprus Brooks at the London Cage, between 16th and 19th September 1940. The report was passed to the Special Operations Executive for potential use in British propaganda.

The report is notable because it includes the opinions of Oberleutnant Franz von Werra, a Luftwaffe fighter ace shot down over Kent a couple of weeks previously. His exploits were immortalised in the book and film, starring Hardy Krüger, “The One That Got Away”. Following several escapes attempts, he managed to escape on route to a POW camp in Canada. After crossing the border in to the then still neutral United States, he finally managed to make a home run back to Germany. The interrogation report shows that von Werra was an arrogant, ardent and determined Nazi.

The next PsyWar.Org aerial propaganda leaflet auction is now underway.

Army Operational Research Group report based on work carried out in Malaya to establish requirements for psychological warfare research for future conflicts in the context of Cold War. Published in March 1956.

NEW ARCHIVAL DOCUMENT: A report on the early history, the function, costs and future of the Information Research Department by Lord Strang, dated July 1963. A heavily redacted version of this report was first released to the public in July 2018. (HTML and PDF versions)

U.S. soldiers load 105mm artillery smoke shells with propaganda leaflets. Scenes show loading of leaflets into shells, transport to and firing by field artillery. 19 May 1944, Italy.

The following article summarises Allied propaganda activities for the month of June 2944 in the Far East and is taken from the Air Ministry Weekly Intelligence Summary, No. 259, 19 August 1944, pp. 37-39.

"...to weaken the non-Soviet world, Soviet propaganda tries to undermine the confidence of peoples in their Governments, to aggravate class conflicts ... to foment discord between the great Powers of the West."

A November 1947, Foreign Office analysis of Soviet Propaganda in the Middle East including a discussion on how it should be countered by exposing Soviet falsehoods with an aggressive and disruptive, rather than defensive, policy.

On this night seventy-five years ago, 19 specially modified Lancaster bombers of 617 Squadron took off from RAF Scampton. The now famous Operation Chastise had begun. Commanded by 24-year-old Wing Commander Guy Gibson, their mission was to attack the major dams of the Ruhr and Weser valleys in Germany's industrial heartland. As well as striking a severe physical blow to the war making capabilities of the Third Reich, the morale effect of the raid was also of prime importance. Not just the depressing of enemy morale but also bolstering the people of Occupied Europe and on the home fronts, to show to the world that the British Commonwealth was fighting back and had the means and will to defeat the Axis.

(This article was originally published at the time of the 70th anniversary of Operation Chastise, the famous Dambusters raid. It has since been updated and reposted to coincide with the 75th anniversary on 16th May 2018.)

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An Information Research Department analysis of Soviet propaganda directed against the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation in the run up to and following the Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1968. On the one hand Soviet propaganda proclaims NATO to be weak, its existence unnecessary and on the brink of break-up. On the other it accuses NATO of being militaristic, complains of increased defence spending by member countries and that it is threat to the peaceful coexistence of Eastern European countries. Soviet propaganda also sought to divide and conquer by suggesting that the alliance is dominated by, and ran purely for the political objectives of, the United States, that Europe would be America’s battlefield; it accuses Germany of seeking to be the dominate European country in the alliance; and suggests that the smaller Baltic countries are being sidelined and exploited.

Restricted Information Research Department paper summarising developments in Communist external propaganda through 1969 to June 1970.

Allied Information Service on the Western Front: Historical Survey of Operations of the 6805th Allied Information Service Group

The invasion of Northwestern Europe by the combined armed forces of the United States and Great Britain brought to the Continent not only the physical weapons of war, but also the weapon of the spoken and written word. Psychological combat, though not a novel instrument of war, was developed in World War II to truly gigantic proportions. Within its broad framework was a form of psychological warfare called “consolidation,” conducted in support of military operations in liberated territory by the Allied Information Service in conjunction with indigenous national authorities. Consolidation propaganda activities — which were to consolidate the socially disorganized liberated areas — aimed at ensuring the friendly cooperation of the civilian populations, particularly in such matters as the restoration of essential public services, and at influencing opinion favorable to the conduct of the war and the post-war aims of the United Nations. When they were conducted in the immediate combat zone, the consolidation activities were tactical in scope and nature, but once the military emergency period was over they became more ambitious and acquired a long-term or strategical character. In other words, consolidation work meant psychological warfare designed to stabilize — to consolidate — the friendly populations in and behind the fighting areas and to ensure their willing compliance with the measures of army commanders conducting military operations.

This background brief was prepared by the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office's Research and Analysis Department in July 1989. The brief gives an overview of Soviet Communist Party (CPSU) external propaganda activities in light of President Gorbachev’s policies of perestroika and “new thinking” on foreign policy.

This background brief was prepared by the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office's Research and Analysis Department in March 1985. The brief gives an overview of how the Soviet Communist Party (CPSU) coordinates external propaganda and policy, in particular through the sponsorship of international front organisations.

The following account of early RAF Nickel Raids in the Second World War is taken from Chapter 4 - 'White Bombs: The Leaflet Raids' of 'Bomber Command: The Air Ministry Account of Bomber Command’s Offensive Against the Axis, September, 1939—July, 1941', published by His Majesty’s Stationery Office, London, 1941, pages 30 to 34.

From Paris and Brussels to Manchester, in 2017 we saw an alarming increase in successful terrorist attacks on major European cities. European nations have been stepping up security-led countermeasures to combat violent extremism yet prevention methods and soft influence must be improved dramatically if we are to make full use of the resources available to us.

In this context, I am delighted to announce that Defence IQ’s 17th Annual Countering Violent Extremism event will be taking place on the 22-24th May 2018, in London. Here, an opportunity to examine the tools and strategies available to the CVE community for improving intelligence and prevention will be explored in full.

>> Download the full agenda and speaker line up here

Featured thought-leaders and CVE experts speaking at the event include:

• Alexander Ritzmann, Executive Director, European Foundation for Democracy (EFD)
• Commodore Brian Santarpia, Director General Plans Strategic Joint Staff, Department of National Defence, Canada
• Dr Usama Hasan, Head of Islamic Studies, Quilliam
• Brigadier Timothy Hodgetts CBE, Medical Director of the Defence Medical Services and Honorary Professor of Emergency Medicine, University of Birmingham, MOD, Director, Citizen Aid
• Lucinda Creighton, Senior Advisor and fmr. Irish Minister for European Affairs, Counter Extremism Project (CEP), The European Foundation for Democracy
• Wing Commander Keith Dear, Influence and Persuasion, Royal Air Force
• Gregory C. Radabaugh, Director, Joint Information Operations Warfare Centre

Join us for the regions only conference addressing the challenges of countering violent extremism and hear thought leading presentations and discussions. Register before the 9 March and save up to £300, for more information, please visit cveevent.iqpc.com, contact our enquiries team on +44 (0)207 036 1300 or email enquire@defenceiq.com. Please note that the earlier you book, the more you will save.

Warmest regards,

Defence IQ

E: enquire@defenceiq.com

T: +44 (0) 207 036 1300

US Army Field Manual. “This manual provides doctrinal guidance for commanders and staff officers for the conduct of psychological operations (PSYOP), discusses U.S. Army PSYOP objectives, roles, and missions, and serves as the doctrinal basis for development of PSYOP techniques and procedures. This manual is applicable to general, limited, and cold war operations to include stability operations. Consideration is given to the employment of, and protection from, nuclear munitions and chemical, biological, and radiological agents.”

A forgery purporting to be an official U.S. Government document appears in a West European country. In a developing country, false rumours are spread of U.S. involvement in a coup attempt. A clandestine radio station beams anti-Western broadcasts into Iran. A Western firm is warned that its commercial ties with the Soviet Union will suffer if it also sells equipment to China... This anonymous and undated report circulated to NATO in Autumn 1981 gives a concise overview of the use and techniques of Soviet Active Measures.

US Army Field Manual. “This manual provides detailed psychological operations techniques for psychological operations commanders and staff officers. It discusses relationships, capabilities, tactics, and techniques of psychological operations during general, limited, and cold war operations... The techniques and procedures discussed in this manual augment doctrine published in FM 33-1. By integrating the tactics and techniques described in this manual with those concerned with general and limited war, counter insurgent operations, and guerrilla warfare, the commander and the staff officer will gain maximum benefit from psychological operations as a weapons system.”

US Army Field Manual. “As a military weapon, psychological warfare is no newer than the rumors whispered about Hannibal, the wave of terror spread in advance of the armies of Genghis Khan, Philip of Macedonia, and Attila the Hun, and the methods used by George Washington to increase desertion among the Hessians. What is new about psychological warfare is the manner in which it recently has been systematically organized and used as an integral part of military operations. Experience has demonstrated conclusively that psychological warfare is a highly effective weapon which can be used to minimize expenditure of human life and destruction of property. It is not a substitute for battle, but a supplementary means of combat which can facilitate and exploit success on the battlefield. Psychological warfare has limitations and disadvantages. One American army commander who achieved outstanding success in World War II expressed this idea when he said, “Psychological warfare had an important place in the European Campaign. It can accomplish much good. It can also be extremely harmful.” It is the duty of commanders to understand how to secure the beneficial effects and to avoid those which are harmful.”

This sixth auction of the aerial propaganda collection of the late Dr Rod Oakland. Lots include more Second World War German propaganda to Allied troops, OSS and PWE black propaganda, EH/SOE leaflets to Germany, propaganda to South East Asia, Soviet Front-Illustrierte colourful magazines for German troops, and US leaflets dropped in the Korean War.

CLOSING DATE 9 DECEMBER 2017 MIDNIGHT GMT

In this 1972 report Sir Leslie Glass gives a brief retrospective on the Counter Subversion Committee with discussion on its future. The Defence and Oversea Policy (Official) Ancillary Measures sub-committee, DOPO (AM), would become its lineal descendant.

An overview of clandestine radio stations broadcasting to the Middle East, divided between those taking a pro and anti-Nasser line. The notes were compiled by the Information Research Department in 1958.

Recently I have been re-examining PWE and SOE archives in even greater depth with a vague idea in mind of writing a greatly expanded version of my book ‘The Black Art’. The document below was found during this renewed trawling. It is a definition of terminology included as an appendix to a draft memorandum discussing the current situation of Research Units in November 1943. One member of PWE comments that the draft memorandum is not only excellent but “the first comprehensive and lucid treatment of this subject.”

This next PsyWar.Org auction of Dr Rod Oakland's propaganda leaflet collection includes more very rare OSS Morale Operations and British PWE black propaganda items, German leaflets for Allied troops, and PsyWar leaflets from the Korean War. Other items include a small selection of colourful Japanese leaflets for Allied troops and PWE leaflets dropped over Occupied France.

(As the start of this auction was delayed, it will run for a shorter time than previous ones)

CLOSING DATE 4 AUGUST 2017 MIDNIGHT GMT

Last week the Ministry of Defence released a further batch of documents to the British National Archives relating to the Falkland Islands Conflict (Operation Corporate). One document in this batch covers the role of psychological operations. Although much has already been written on this subject, the document provides new details regarding the planning of psychological operations and the difficulties experienced. Lessons learned are outlined in the paper reproduced below.

Black propaganda covers all those forms of propaganda which are not identified with HMG and which have the appearance of springing spontaneously from the local population without British inspiration or connection. A memorandum by Reginald Leeper, head of the Political Warfare Executive’s Country Headquarters, July 1942. 

Raymond Schuhl is the stuff of legends. Hardly anyone knows his name and yet in WWI as a member of the French Army he went to Switzerland and produced anti-German leaflets. In WWII, after the fall of France, he did it again. He faked his death, went to Switzerland where he joined with the American OSS to head their propaganda campaign against Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy.

So PsyWar.Org has finally got too big for its boots. In order to progress current plans would mean migrating to a dedicated, read very expensive, hosting solution. As that is a not a practical long-term option, effective immediately the Psyona archive is off line. Going forward plans for the leaflet archive, and other database projects, will need to be scaled back and probably video content will also be removed.

Existing articles and other content will not be affected by this scaling-back. The Rod Oakland leaflet collection auctions will also continue until the whole collection is disposed of. Thanks to all those that continue to support the website, the site is not disappearing but we just have to curb our ambitions.

Lee Richards

A full record on the use of political/psychological warfare field units by the British Army is a conspicuous omission in the history of Political  Warfare in the Second World War. A brief overview of the majority of those field units is attempted here, although due to the fragmentary nature of  existing records it should be considered incomplete.

New auction now active. As in previous auctions, offered here are many examples of rare German leaflets dropped on Allied troops in the Second World War, British underground black propaganda and American OSS clandestine leaflets, stickers and forged newspapers. This auction additionally includes a large set of CT series leaflets produced by the Psychological Warfare Division, US 1st Army for German troops in Northwest Europe, 1944/45. The last lots consist of a small group of fabric MI9 Escape and Evasion maps.

An overview of British underground propaganda against Nazi Germany - transcript of a talk, with accompanying slides, given by Lee Richards, London, May 2014.

Thanks to all those who took part in the PsyWar Leaflet Auction. Email notifications have now been sent to all successful bidders.

Our third auction is now underway to sell the leaflet collection of the late Dr Rod Oakland. Rod was renowned for his expert knowledge of the subject and his considerable collection of leaflets covering a wide variety of fields. Rod held regular leaflet auctions and this and the following ones will proceed in the same vain. The auction has numerous rare and beautifully illustrated leaflets from the Second World War, Korea War, Suez Crisis and Aden.

Radio Atlantico del Sur (RAdS) was the psychological operations radio station broadcast by the Ministry of Defence to Argentine troops during the latter part of the Falklands Islands Conflict. This is a draft OD(SA) interim assessment suggesting possibilities for the radio station, it dates from around 12 May 1982.

This short overview of several psychological warfare operations conducted in the early Cold War period was submitted as an annex to a British Defence Coordination Committee (Far East) meeting to discuss the requirements of psychological warfare equipment for Cold and Limited War in the Far East. The paper was submitted in the autumn of 1958.

The second PsyWar.Org auction is now active. Listed for sale is part of the leaflet collection of the late Dr Rod Oakland. Rod was renowned for his expert knowledge of the subject and his considerable collection of leaflets covering a wide variety of fields. Rod held regular leaflet auctions and this and the following ones will proceed in the same vain. The auction has numerous rare and beautifully illustrated leaflets from the Second World War, Korea War, Vietnam, Algeria, and the Soviet Occupation of Afghanistan. More Escape and Evasion Blood Chits also included.

CLOSING DATE 13 AUGUST 2016 MIDNIGHT GMT

An analysis by Captain John C Lyons of leaflet dissemination devices released from aircraft as developed through the Second World War. Descriptions of the various methods employed to drop leaflets from planes are given including the advantages and disadvantages of each method. Not all methods employed or experimented with are detailed in the article but nevertheless it gives a good overall picture of the means used to drop leaflets. The article is undated but appears to have been written in the closing months of the war in Europe, around April or May 1945.

Instructional notes issued to Royal Air Force Intelligence Officers to assist them with their talks to aircrew under training regarding the effectiveness and importance of dropping propaganda leaflets. (The codeword 'Nickel' was assigned by the Air Ministry to refer to propaganda leaflets.)

The first PsyWar.Org auction is now active. Listed for sale is part of the leaflet collection of the late Dr Rod Oakland. Rod was renowned for his expert knowledge of the subject and his considerable collection of leaflets covering a wide variety of fields. Rod held regular leaflet auctions and this and the following ones will proceed in the same vain. The auction has numerous rare and beautifully illustrated leaflets from the Second World War. Not only aerial propaganda leaflets but other military ephemera including MI9 Blood Chits for downed aircrew and Montgomery's famous messages to the troops.

The 15th annual Information Operations Summit: Countering Violent Extremism has been designed from the ground up to provide influence and communications professionals with a forum to discuss their biggest challenges in countering  extremist messaging and preventing the radicalisation of the next generation of terrorists. Taking place in London, UK from 15th-17th June, the symposium will address the communication challenges faced by both the Armed Forces and the domestic agencies when countering violent extremism. Some of the experts that will be sharing their insight include:

• * Abby Johnson, Directorate of Strategic Operational Planning, National Counter Terrorism Centre
• * Harron Ullah, Senior Adviser to the Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs, US State Department
• * Colonel Mike Lwin, Director, Military Information Support Operations
• * Jonathan Russell, Head of Policy, Qulliam Foundation

Download the full programme and speaker list for more information.

An analysis of British air-dropped leaflet propaganda in the Second World War published in an issue of the Air Ministry Weekly Intelligence Summary.

PsyWar.Org Director, Lee Richards' new paper, "The Rainbow in the Dark: Assessing a Century of British Military Information Operations" has been published in the inaugural edition of Defence Strategic Communications, the peer-reviewed official journal of the NATO Strategic Communications Centre of Excellence. The article begins at page 42.

Notes by Major Reginald J Isaac for the Directorate of Forward Plans outlining the development of psychological warfare and information operations through the first years of the Malayan Emergency.

A mentor and a good and wise friend. He will be greatly missed and fondly remembered.

Radio Atlantico del Sur was a Spanish language radio station operated by the UK Ministry of Defence as part of its psychological operations campaign conducted for Operation Corporate – the recapture of the Falkland Islands following the Argentine invasion in April 1982. The radio station, known as ‘Project Moonshine’ within the Ministry of Defence, was operated by a specially created group called the Media Assessment Team (MAT). The station broadcast from studios in Mayfair, London, via a requisitioned BBC transmitter on Ascension Island. Its first broadcast was on the evening of 19 May 1982 and continued for 47 broadcasts until 15 June.

A Political Warfare Executive memorandum charting the development and improvement of British air-dropped leaflet propaganda to Europe from the start of the war until 1943.

The five Indian Field Broadcasting Units now operating in Burma had their origin in a single Forward Propaganda Unit which operated in the Arakan campaign of 1943. This Unit – like the present five units – was under the command of Major G L Steer who had considerable previous experience of forward propaganda work in Ethiopia and Eritrea. The main purpose of the units is to carry out front-line propaganda against the enemy, and also behind the enemy lines.

Submission to the Chiefs of Staff, SHAEF, outlining  covert propaganda techniques being applied in support of Operation Overlord. Further  assistance is requested from the Royal Air Force to take German radio stations off  air so to allow intruder broadcasts and to increase dissemination of the  Nachrichten für die Truppe newssheet, 4 August 1944.

Brief reports published by the Psychological Warfare Division of SHAEF giving current reactions to Allied leaflet operations in North West Europe taken from Prisoner of War interrogations, enemy reactions and press reporting.