'Words are cheaper than bullets': Britain's psychological warfare in the Middle East, 1945-60

Bennett, Huw ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3325-3077 2019. 'Words are cheaper than bullets': Britain's psychological warfare in the Middle East, 1945-60. Intelligence and National Security 34 (7) , pp. 925-944. 10.1080/02684527.2019.1628454

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Abstract

Psychological warfare, the use of propaganda to aid military operations, acquired prominence in British strategy in the early Cold War Middle East. This article argues planning made limited progress until the 1956 Suez crisis. Suez produced optimism about propaganda’s ability to address threats from Egypt, the USSR and the Yemen. In Oman, Aden and Cyprus, psychological warfare was practiced to demoralise enemies, bolster allies and counter smears about British conduct. Only mixed results ensued though, and doubts about the military’s involvement in propaganda lingered. Psychological warfare endured because it was a cheap option that might sometimes work, and could induce opponents to surrender rather than fight on.

Item Type:	Article
Date Type:	Publication
Status:	Published
Schools:	Department of Politics and International Relations (POLIR) Cardiff Law & Politics Law
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
ISSN:	0268-4527
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	12 June 2019
Date of Acceptance:	30 May 2019
Last Modified:	12 Nov 2024 02:15
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/123004

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