Military and civilian agencies conducted Psychological
Operations on an unprecedented scale during the Vietnam War. Emphasis on PSYOP
from MACV and the U.S. Mission resulted in the creation of an interagency
organization providing direction to the overall PSYOP effort. The military
PSYOP force supporting MACV underwent a series of organizational changes over
seven years as the force struggled to meet ever-increasing demands, but never
reached their full potential in Vietnam. Difficulties in measuring
effectiveness combined with a lack of understanding of PSYOP techniques and
capabilities more often than not resulted in the relegation of PSYOP to
supporting “sideshow” status rather than the full integration into supported
unit planning necessary for success. However, the evolution of the PSYOP force
and reports from participants provide numerous lessons learned applicable to
current operations under the aegis of the Global war on Terrorism.
