‘Your homes will be destroyed, your family killed’: the US has dropped millions of war propaganda leaflets – but do they work?
Summary
The United States military has used propaganda leaflets in wars for over 100 years to influence enemy soldiers and populations. While official reports claim these leaflets help weaken enemy morale, some internal studies show mixed results, including cases where leaflets were ignored or used for other purposes by enemy troops.Key Facts
- The US started dropping propaganda leaflets in 1918 during World War I.
- Leaflets were widely used in World War II through the Office of War Information.
- Khajistan, a New York-based group, has collected and displayed many of these leaflets in an exhibit.
- From 1968 to 1971, about 5 billion leaflets were dropped annually over Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos.
- A 1971 US Air Force report criticized leaflet content, saying it often lacked credibility and did not persuade the enemy.
- Some enemy soldiers used leaflets as cigarette paper, toilet tissue, or souvenirs.
- The US dropped 29 million leaflets during the Gulf War in the early 1990s.
- Psyops leaflets reportedly persuaded around 44% of the Iraqi army to desert during the Gulf War.
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