The psychological war for Vietnam, 1960-1968 / Mervyn Edwin Roberts III.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Roberts, Mervyn Edwin, III, author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Psychological aspects.

Psychological aspects.

Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Campaigns.

Psychological warfare--United States--History--20th century.

Propaganda, American--Vietnam--History--20th century.

Military campaigns.

Propaganda, American.

Psychological warfare.

History.

United States.

Vietnam.

Genre:

History.

Physical Description:

xiii, 411 pages : illustrations, maps ; 25 cm

Place of Publication:

Lawrence, Kansas : University Press of Kansas, [2018]

Summary:

"The Psychological War for Vietnam, 1960-1968, for the first time fully explores the most sustained, intensive use of psychological operations (PSYOP) in American history. In PSYOP, US military personnel use a variety of tactics--mostly audio and visual messages--to influence individuals and groups to behave in ways that favor US objectives. Informed by the author's firsthand experience of such operations elsewhere, this account of the battle for "hearts and minds" in Vietnam offers rare insight into the art and science of propaganda as a military tool in the twentieth century. The Psychological War for Vietnam, 1960-1968, focuses on the creation, capabilities, and performance of the forces that conducted PSYOP in Vietnam, including the Joint US Public Affairs Office and the 4th PSYOP Group. In his comprehensive account, Mervyn Edwin Roberts III covers psychological operations across the entire theater, by all involved US agencies. His book reveals the complex interplay of these activities within the wider context of Vietnam and the Cold War propaganda battle being fought by the United States at the same time. Because PSYOP never occurs in a vacuum, Roberts considers the shifting influence of alternative sources of information--especially from the governments of North and South Vietnam, but also from Australia, Korea, and the Philippines. The Psychological War for Vietnam, 1960-1968, 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. The scope of the book allows for a unique measurement of the effectiveness of psychological operations over time."-- Amazon.com.

Contents:

Exciting a spirit of disaffection

Cold War developments

America's "special war," 1960-1962

Buddhist crisis and coup, Spring

Fall 1963

"Only the hard ones lie ahead", 1964

Organizational problems, Fall 1964

Winter 1965

Expansion, Spring and Summer 1965

Refined and expanded targeting, Fall 1965

Second Republic surge, Spring and Summer 1966

Growing pains, Fall 1966

May 1967

Measuring effects, June

Fall 1967

The 4th PSYOP group and the Tet Offensive, Fall 1967

Conclusion.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9780700625833

0700625836

OCLC:

1012639529