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PrCHOLOGICXLh LPRFARE
It is the purpose of this paper to introduce a very important subject and
to explain it in such a way that you will become familiar with its bas-~
use and realize the part you play in its development.
The effects of psychological warfare are far-reaching and directly contri-
bute to national defense during peace as well as wartime. It has two pri-
mary obj ctives that concern us in the Air Force.
1. To study and uncover all forms of propaganda directed by potential
enemies toward weakening the USAF and to counteract such tactics by building
worldwide respect for the military strength and efficiency of the USAF as
a peace enforcing agency.
2. In wartime to hasten victory by reducing the enemy's will to fight
t -rough the use of propaganda, together with such other operational measures
of a military nature as the effective use of propaganda may require.
The principles upon which psychological warfare is based go back as far into
civilization as man. Psychology, however, is a 20th Century science which
concerns the study of the mind. We can s y that we are interested in that
part of psychology that has to do with the influence over men as individuals,
as well as groups. By studying the methods of influence, orpsychology, effec-
tive in reducing the man's or Nation's will to fight during wartime and speci-
alizing in the use of such methods, we develop psychological warfare. Accor-
ding to Webster, Psychology is the science which treats of the mind in any of
its aspects; systematic knowledge and investigation of the phenomena of con-
sciousness and behavior; the traits, feelings, actions and attributes, cod.'ect-
ively, of the mind. All different types of psychology concern the mental
processes in the behavior of an individual in an attempt to determine why anr'
how he responds to different situations or under different stimuli.
The word psychological concerns the nature of psychology, consequently, pay-
chology has been defined first. A brief, rather loose definition of psyche
gical would be -- mental.
Warfare originally was a military expedition or campaign, according to Webster.
Now it is considered a military operation between enemies; armed contests
and hostilities. First use of the term is found in the Bible, "The Philistines
gathered their armies together for warfare." -- 1 Samuel 28:1. Definitions
or warfare, then would be contest, struggle, to engage in hostilities, or to
fight. A simple and brief definition of the words, psychological warfare.
would be that it is a struggle or conflict in the mind of the individual de-
signed to influence the behavior of that individual,
However, from the simplest definition of psychological warfare, we must o
to an advanced meaning, with its extension and application in our present d.y
usage. We will find how a knowledge of it is used can effect national
and international ways of life, and why a study of its ramifications is so
essential. We are concerned primarily with the military concept of psycho'1a
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United States. Air Force. Psychological Warfare, paper, April 1962; [Universal City, Texas]. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth907150/m1/2/: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting National WASP WWII Museum.