Psychological Warfare (PsyOps)
What it is. Shaping beliefs, norms, and expectations so targets police themselves. Tools include symbolic acts, fear/hope cycles, exemplary punishment, status rewards, and ambient surveillance. The aim is to make resistance feel futile and compliance feel natural.
Morale Breakers
Domain: Psychological Warfare (Three Warfares) · Stratagems: 4, 9, 27
Problem / betrayal. Fear and hope cycle until the target stops resisting.
How it happened. DoD’s CMPR describes the “Three Warfares”—psychological, public-opinion, and legal—executed by dedicated PLA elements to shape decisions before shots. U.S. Department of War.
The men behind it. Political work systems, information ops units.
Consequences. Exhaustion; “new baselines” accepted.
Warning. If morale breaks, plans don’t matter.
Counter-Orders
- Audit: measure sentiment shifts vs. events; log psy-ops artifacts.
- Inoculate: leader comms drills; pre-bunk themes.
- Isolate: expose operators; sanction units named in CMPR. U.S. Department of War.
Operating model
- Actors: propaganda bureaus, security services, party committees, cultural figures.
- Levers: reputational ladders, shame campaigns, model citizens, rumor discipline.
- Mechanisms: reveal → intimidate → isolate → normalize.
- Escalation ladder: soft warnings → public shaming → targeted arrests → mass deterrence.
- Success metrics: self-censorship rates, protest half-life, trust erosion among dissenters.
Tactic clusters (curated, non-repetitive)
1) Velvet Cage
Wrap control in comfort.
Stratagems: 1 Fool the Emperor…, 16 First Let It Go
Application: Offer perks for compliance; allow limited venting, then close the window.
Countermeasures: Independent associations, sunset clauses, parallel venues.
2) Red Lines by Rumor
Keep boundaries vague to elevate fear.
Stratagems: 13 Beat the Grass…, 27 Feign Madness…
Application: Ambiguous rules enforced sporadically; people over-comply.
Countermeasures: Clarity campaigns, mutual aid legal hotlines, public documentation.
3) Smile, Then Strike
Promise dialogue; punish leaders.
Stratagems: 10 Hide Your Dagger…, 18 Capture Their Leader
Application: Engage publicly; privately neutralize organizers to demoralize movements.
Countermeasures: Distributed leadership, redundancy, secure comms.
4) Mirror Enemies
Revive old foes to rally supporters.
Stratagems: 14 Borrow a Corpse…, 33 Sowing Discord
Application: Invoke historic grievances to frame critics as traitors.
Countermeasures: History literacy, bridge-building narratives, de-escalation norms.
5) Open Gate, Closed Hand
Invite, then entrap.
Stratagems: 32 Open City Gates, 22 Shut the Door…
Application: Allow an event; afterward prosecute organizers using surveillance evidence.
Countermeasures: Permit accountability, legal observers, data minimization.
6) Ritualized Normal
Turn extraordinary controls into routine.
Stratagems: 11 Sacrifice the Plum…, 29 Tie Silk Blossoms…
Application: Token reforms mask permanent expansion of oversight.
Countermeasures: Sunset audits, civil society metrics, independent oversight bodies.
Failure modes & risks
- Learned helplessness backlash: sudden cascades when fear breaks.
- Signal saturation: overuse dulls effect; cynicism rises.
- Streisand effect: attempts to hide create amplification.
Related: Information Warfare, Cultural & Ideological Warfare.