Airman Scholar Sp05-1.indd - United States Air Force Academy
Airman Scholar Sp05-1.indd - United States Air Force Academy
Airman Scholar Sp05-1.indd - United States Air Force Academy
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1. EBSCOHost Searchable Database. 18 Oct 2003.<br />
30<br />
“MIND OVER MATTER: THE CASE FOR DECEN-<br />
TRALIZING PSYCHOLOGICAL OPERATIONS<br />
(PSYOP) IN MODERN WARFARE”<br />
BY<br />
C1C KRISTEN L. FAGEN<br />
INTRODUCTION<br />
Statement of Research Question<br />
“There are but two powers in the world, the sword<br />
and the mind. In the long run the sword is always beaten by<br />
the mind,” stated Napoleon Bonaparte, describing the power<br />
of the mind in battle over the physical aspects of war. 1 Psychological<br />
warfare involves the use of mental persuasion in<br />
manipulating the enemy to give in to military objectives without<br />
the use of weapons or destruction. Psychological operations<br />
(PSYOP) have been utilized in military conflict since the<br />
beginning of warfare. The importance of PSYOP is evident<br />
in the writings of Sun Tzu and documented in the military<br />
theory and doctrine of such historic figures as Clausewitz and<br />
Napoleon. PSYOP have been officially utilized under organized<br />
commands in the U.S. military since World War I and<br />
is likely to play an ever increasing role in military operations<br />
into the future. 2<br />
The organization and use of PSYOP in the U.S.<br />
military has been inconsistent throughout the last century as<br />
a result of the fluctuating requirements for PSYOP in different<br />
conflicts and varying combat situations. This leads to my<br />
thesis question: “Has the U.S. military developed the optimum<br />
organizational potential for the delivery of psychological<br />
operations in an era of expanding contingency operations?”<br />
This question demands an examination of current U.S. military<br />
PSYOP organization and of the roles PSYOP play in<br />
military operations. In addition, the need for better PSYOP<br />
organization and defined PSYOP roles will be analyzed and<br />
our present PSYOP capabilities will be determined. This<br />
paper will evaluate how well the U.S. is prepared to utilize<br />
PSYOP in the future. On the basis of this analysis, recommendations<br />
will be offered on ways to improve the conduct<br />
and organization of PSYOP. Sophisticated and well-organized<br />
PSYOP are critical to a modern U.S. military that is prepared<br />
to fight the wars of the twenty-first century.<br />
Background and Significance of the Problem<br />
PSYOP has the potential to play a vast role as a force<br />
multiplier and a combat reducer in the post-Cold War era. 3<br />
PSYOP allow a military force to mentally counteract and<br />
overcome the enemy with limited manpower, limited physical<br />
fighting, and limited carnage. Serving as a force multiplier,<br />
PSYOP expands force capability without the need for more<br />
personnel. Also, PSYOP reduces the need for combat since<br />
the enemy can be persuaded to surrender without physically