Roberts decided on studying information operations in vietnam after he returned from a deployment to afghanistan. An introduction to psychological warfare thoughtco. These groups secretly worked within laos and cambodia and sought to disrupt the ho chi minh trail that brought north vietnamese army supplies to south vietnam. The battalion has designed, printed, processed, loaded and delivered more than a half billion leafletswe can print one million leaflets in support of any given mission within a 24hour period. Americas wars have inspired some of the worlds best literature, and the vietnam war is no exception. The psychological war for vietnam, 19601968, also addresses the development of psyop doctrine and training in the period prior to the introduction of ground combat forces in 1965 and, finally, shows how the course of the war itself forced changes to this doctrine. As the result of the outcome of the war, all materials about the arvns psyop was totally lost or destroyed, but a small article below on us operation part will help you to have an idea about the untold political warfare that was the soul of south vietnams noble cause. In july 1965, the 24th psyop detachment was formed from personnel of the 1st and th psyop battalion assigned to the united states army john f.
The target, then, is the minds of the population, all the population. Vietnam war ghost audio tape used in psyops wandering. The term is used to denote any action which is practiced mainly by psychological methods with the aim of evoking a planned psychological reaction in other people. Failure is a hard word, and no matter how you analyze the vietnam war, that is exactly. Psychological operationsinguerrilla warfare download psychological operationsinguerrilla warfare ebook pdf or read online books in pdf, epub. How effective was psychological warfare used in the vietnam. Many factors during the vietnam war combined to affect the soldiers thoughts, emotions, and minds. Full text of michael aquino us satanist from psyop to. Merv roberts has worked on psychological operations in afghanistan. Even today, it explains the basic principles of propaganda and psychological warfare both white and black, from organization and planning to analysis and response.
Every book written on the malayan emergency credits c. He gives all the evidence for why it was selfevident that vietnam was an. Try searching on jstor for other items related to this book. The psychological scars of world war 1 i the great war special. Veteran describes being prisoner of war in vietnam duration. Probably the best biography of too is the story of a psywarrior, lim cheng leng, malaysia, 2000. It is a story of effective and ineffective military leadership. This official collection features resources about the vietnam war. Besides the obvious physical effects of participating in the vietnam war, most of the films portrayed how exposure to the war left lasting psychological effects in most of the soldiers.
Sep 09, 2017 the american psyop forces went to vietnam with little knowledge of the history and culture of vietnam or experience conducting psychological operations in a counterinsurgency. Although the iliad was written 27 centuries ago, it has much to teach about combat trauma, as do the more recent, compelling voices and experiences of vietnam vets. May 02, 2018 his work there inspired him to write a history of psychological operations in the vietnam war and i interviewed him about this book the psychological war for vietnam, 19601968. Moore and galloway have written by far and away the best piece of military history on one of the early battles of the vietnam war. Berry psychological warfare leaflets of the vietnam war, 2001. The psychological war for vietnam army university press. As the result of the outcome of the war, all materials about the arvns psyop was totally lost or destroyed, but a small article below on us operation part will help you to have an idea about the. These costs of traumatic war stress extended beyond ptsd, to the increased risk for depression, personality disorders, suicide, and alcohol abuse 6. Operation wandering soul was a propaganda campaign exercised by u. The national vietnam veterans readjustment study was a turning point in defining the psychological costs of war, with 18. How american soldiers used the death card as a psychological weapon during the vietnam war.
Mervyn edwin roberts first book, the psychological war for vietnam, 19601968, for the first time fully explores the most sustained, intensive use of psychological operations psyop in american history. Includes some books and pamphlets published in vietnam, books published by the u. Too with being the mastermind behind the british psychological operations that destroyed the communist insurgent movement. Historians at war national association of scholars. Bibliography of the vietnam war clemson university. The vietnam war has scarred, transformed and inspired countless writers and art practitioners. Revised second edition, duell, sloan and pearce 1954. Mervyn edwin roberts the psychological war for vietnam. As the result of the outcome of the war, all materials about the arvns psyop was totally lost or destroyed, but a small article below on us operation part will help you to have an idea about the untold political warfare that was the soul of south vietnams. Lecture given by sir leslie glass to the national defence college on 14 march 1973. It is the definitive history of the us civil war it gives equal treatment to both sides, and is more than one million words, but is never boring. Vietnam veterans were the first to fight in an american war that could not be recalled with pride. Initially operating under the united states information service and later under the military assistant command vietnam, elements of the 4th psychological operations group conducted continuous combat operation for more than five years.
Psychological warfare psywar, or the basic aspects of modern psychological operations. This is but a small sampling of many different types deployed during the war, and which took such a profound physical and psychological toll on their enemy. Vietnam war history book the psychological war for. The psychological war for vietnam is a substantial and thoroughly researched book a good primer on psyop according to katy doll in the journal of military history. One of the most definitive works on the vietnam war, the th valley follows a company of paratroopers as they fight against the north vietnamese. While the list of books about this conflict includes hundreds of enlightening works, we pick ten of the best texts offering illuminating perspectives on the war, its context and the effects it had on vietnam.
It was the second of the indochina wars and was officially fought. The long reach of vietnam war deceptions consortiumnews. This 411page book started as a masters thesis in 2010 and is a very detailed look at the use of psyop during the vietnam war. Army, transcripts of congressional committee hearings, and other materials. Brian willson became a radical, nonviolent peace protester and pacifist, and this memoir details the drastic governmental and social change he has spent his. The psychological war for vietnam, 19601968 mervyn edwin roberts iii. This conception of guerrilla warfare as political war turns psychological operations into the decisive factor of the results. The vietnam war, however, was different in many ways. Vietnam war has not only blood and gore battles or secret operations, but also the less known campaigns called psyop psychological operations. This epic threevolume masterpiece is to war what gibbons decline and fall of the roman empire was to history.
First, it was the unpopular war as viewed by most people today. This book is a manual for the training of guerrillas in psychological. It is the vietnamese belief that the dead must be buried in their homeland, or their soul will wander aimlessly in pain and suffering. In psyop, us military personnel use a variety of tacticsmostly audio and visual messagesto influence individuals and groups to. University of kansas press, lawrence, kansas, 2018, 432 pages. Mervyn edwin roberts, iii the psychological war for vietnam, 19601968, for the first time fully explores the most sustained, intensive use of psychological operations psyop in american history. During the course of the war, the vietnamese perfected the art of the booby trap. Most of the books cited in this paper gloss over the reasons for going to war.
This book covers the fighting done by special operations groups sog during the vietnam war. Despite how one may feel about the war, the universal themes bourke exposes re. Psywar unit hitting morale of vc in vietnam lists the abilities of the 6th psyop battalion. Oct 15, 2015 how psychological warfare scared german troops. The start of modern psychological operations in war is generally dated to the world war i. Armys activities in psychological and unconventional warfare during world war ii, korea, and the early cold war to determine the impetus for, and origins of, the special warfare capability established at. Books about psychological warfare what should i read next. Special forces leaflets in vietnam psychological warfare. For some of them the trauma of their battle experiences or their physical disabilities have shattered their lives. His work there inspired him to write a history of psychological operations in the vietnam war and i interviewed him about this book the psychological war for vietnam, 19601968.
In his comprehensive account, mervyn edwin roberts iii covers psychological operations across the entire theater, by all involved us agencies. In the psychological war for vietnam, 19601968, roberts analyzes the. Among the most positive is an abundance of topnotch books, many written by veterans of the conflict. Oct 22, 2019 psychological warfare is the planned tactical use of propaganda, threats, and other noncombat techniques during wars, threats of war, or periods of geopolitical unrest to mislead, intimidate, demoralize, or otherwise influence the thinking or behavior of an enemy. Sir leslie charles glass was an army officer in the psychological warfare division in south east asia in the second world war, directorgeneral of information in cyprus during the emergency and later chairman of the counter subversion committee. Americas military role in vietnam, one wonders if the author isnt schizophrenic. June 15, 2018 mervyn roberts iii, a professor of history at central texas college, presents a firsttime, indepth examination of the psychological war in vietnam from 1960 to 1968. As the psychological war for vietnam, 19601968 demonstrates, despite these drawbacks, they had considerable success in the period covered. University press of kansas, lawrence, kansas, 2018. In this lesson we will learn about psychological warfare and. Among those still suffering are several veterans who have felt forgotten, unappreciated, and even discriminated against.
The scope of the book allows for a unique measurement of the effectiveness of. Secret wars of americas commandos in vietnam by john l. Aug 26, 2018 death cards or calling cards were used in the vietnam war by us soldiers as a form of psychological warfare. Vietnamese feel that if a person is improperly buried. Honorable house speaker nancy pelosi office of the democratic leader h204.
History racism vietnamese conflict, 19611975 psychological warfare english fiction vietnam war 19611975 south africa infobuy weapons of mass deception. Haha lung, martial arts expert and author of mind manipulation, demonstrates stepbystep how to break through an enemys defenses to use their fears, insecurities, superstitions, hopes and beliefs against them. Covering world war i, world war ii, and the vietnam war, this book does an exceptional job illuminating the psychological aspects of wartime on those who do the killing. The psychological warfare leaflets of the vietnam war book is a collection of psychological warfare leaflets from the vietnam war, including colorful reproductions of actual leaflets from both the u. Psychological warfare psywar, or the basic aspects of modern psychological operations psyop, have been known by many other names or terms, including miso, psy ops, political warfare, hearts and minds, and propaganda. The guerrilla warfare had booby traps and mines planted by an invisible. Known officially as the wandering soul, and also known as ghost tape number 10, the tape was broadcast by us army and arvn forces loudspeakers installed on. Vietnam war history book the psychological war for vietnam.
Jan 29, 2018 mervyn edwin roberts first book, the psychological war for vietnam, 19601968, for the first time fully explores the most sustained, intensive use of psychological operations psyop in american history. Psychological warfare is the coordination and use of all means, including moral and physical, by which the end is attained other than those of recognized military. A special collection about the vietnam war is presented in both print books and ebook formats by the naval history and heritage command, plus you will also find other narrative monographs and commemorative resources published by the us department of army center of military history, joint chiefs of staff, and more. Del vecchio writes as vividly of the landscape and jungle warfare as he does of the bonds, racial tensions, and doubts amongst the u.
The psychological war for vietnam, 19601968 by mervyn. Readers interested in the vietnam war are sure to learn a great deal about the psychological war on both sides during the conflict. This book is a must read for psychological operations and counterinsurgency stakeholders at policy and practitioner levels. South vietnamese cause during the vietnam war, 1965 1969 general records, 1969 1972 investigative files, 1969 1970 contains testimony of witnesses to the my lai incident.
The scope of the book allows for a unique measurement of the effectiveness of psychological operations over time. Joint chiefs of staff history of the vietnam war, 19651967 my lai collection douglas pike collection. The psychological war for vietnam, 19601968 ebook, 2018. War was once fought on the battlefield, but it seems as time has passed, physical violence has shifted to something in the mind. Turner, a vietnam veteran and hoover institution fellow who later obtained a nontenured position at the university of virginia law school, disputed the portrayal of the vietnamese communists as devoted nationalists in his book vietnamese communism. The operation played off the belief of many vietnamese in the wandering soul. The vietnam war was a long, costly and divisive conflict that pitted the communist government of north vietnam against south vietnam and its principal ally, the united states. Vietnam war, 19611975 engineering and construction base development in south vietnam, 19651970 1991, by carroll h. The unit, consisting of six officers and 24 enlisted, was formed, trained and deployed to vietnam in. Jun 15, 2018 the psychological war for vietnam excels in providing a broader understanding of the war in vietnam, psyop, and the challenges and limitations in counterinsurgency operations. How psychological warfare scared german troops youtube. Psychological warfare is the planned tactical use of propaganda, threats, and other noncombat techniques during wars, threats of war, or periods of geopolitical unrest to mislead, intimidate, demoralize, or otherwise influence the thinking or behavior of an enemy.
The psychological effects of the vietnam war stanford university. Psychological warfare in vietnam 169 psychological warfare and the viet cong the war fought by the viet cong was an insurgencydefined by galula 1964 as a protracted struggle conducted methodically, step by step, in order to attain specific intermediate objectives leading finally to the overthrow of the existing order. Compare this definition with that of psychological warfare as first offered by general william donovan of the oss in his world war iiera basic estimate of psychological warfare. Reviews the psychological war for vietnam, 19601968. The psychological war for vietnam, 19601968 on jstor.
This book is a must read for psychological operations and. Mervyn edwin roberts the psychological war for vietnam, 1960. The vietnam war was an especially challenging period for army psychological operations. For the 1993 novel by richard powers, see operation wandering soul novel. Second, it was the first to be reported in full detail by the media, historians, and scientists. The psychological war for vietnam, 19601968, for the first time fully explores the most sustained, intensive use of psychological operations psyop in america. Jun 14, 2018 covering world war i, world war ii, and the vietnam war, this book does an exceptional job illuminating the psychological aspects of wartime on those who do the killing.
The psychological war for vietnam, 19601968, for the first time fully explores the most sustained, intensive use of psychological operations psyop in. Psychological warfare was first published in 1948, and it became the authoritative text on the subject for decades. What are the best books about psychological warfare. The men who stare at goats by jon ronson, midnight hunter by brianna hale, gone girl by gillian flynn, antidote b.
In psyop, us military personnel use a variety of tacticsmostly audio and visual messagesto influence individuals and groups to behave in ways that favor us objectives. The united states ran an extensive program of psychological warfare during the vietnam war. Examines the psychological devastation of war by comparing the soldiers of homers iliad with vietnam veterans suffering from posttraumatic stress disorder. The psychological effects of the vietnam war for many americans, the vietnam war is over and long forgotten. The psychological war for vietnam, 19601968, for the first time fully explores the most sustained, intensive use of psychological operations psyop in american history. The best psychological portrait of a soldier dealing with his fear in battle. Revolutionary guerrilla warfare as espoused by its marxist theoreticians and practitionersnotably mao zedong in the chinese civil war 192849, ho chi minh and his successors in vietnam 194175, and fidel castro, ernesto che guevara, and their imitators in latin americaregarded psychological warfare as an integral part of the.
This book seeks to consolidate a history of the military psychiatric experience in vietnam through assembling and synthesizing extant information from a wide variety of sources documenting the success and failure of armys psychiatry in responding to the psychiatric and behavioral problems that changed and expanded as the war became protracted and bitterly controversial. During world war ii, the united states joint chiefs of staff defined psychological warfare broadly, stating psychological warfare employs any weapon to influence the mind of the enemy. The 50 modern war books every man should read insidehook. The term psychological warfare is believed to have migrated from germany to the united states in 1941. These include winners of national book awards and pulitzer prizes, both fiction and nonfiction. For three months, they had taught us every dirty trick in the books, and some not so. The unit, consisting of six officers and 24 enlisted, was formed, trained and deployed to vietnam in just two weeks. Based on exhaustive research in formerly classified documents, paddock examines the u.