Reaching the Target Audience

Abstract

Military Information Support Operations (MISO), previously known as Psychological Operations (PSYOP), uses themes and messages to reach target audiences in order to influence their emotions, motives, reasoning, and ultimately the behavior of foreign governments, organizations, groups, and individuals. This thesis looks at the German people as the target audience of the National Socialist German Workers Party (NSDAP or NS) from 1920 to 1941 to determine if the methods and techniques were effective in influencing the German people to believe or conform to NS ideology. The level of effectiveness is the number of German citizens who supported NS ideology or remained unopposed to their actions. The analysis will be conducted through the MISO Target Audience Analysis process to frame the research as well as conclude calculable strengths and weaknesses of MISO synchronize information related capabilities, methods and techniques. MISO does not support NS ideology or any past or current practice of the ideology. The analysis is strictly designed to look at the execution of NS propaganda and what persuasive influence it had over the German people. US national policy does not support MISO conducting any action beyond the established policies and procedures set by law for MISO. NS ideology was not only about persuasion through media. It was supported by the Ghestapo and Schutzstaffeln (SS) agents through false imprisonment, rape, murder, and slaughter of innocent people who were against or did not conform to NS ideology. Just as important to understanding NS propaganda is the importance of conducting a thorough Target Audience Analysis (TAA). The process of understanding a target audience is critical to determining if your Target Audience is susceptible and capable of being influenced. If a MISO operator does not understand the depth of an individual's condition, concerns, fears, ambitions, and vulnerabilities, then MISO will not be effective.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jun 13, 2014
Accession Number
ADA611636

Entities

People

  • Mark S. Flitton

Organizations

  • United States Army Command and General Staff College

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Human Systems
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Families (Human)
  • Government (Foreign)
  • Governments
  • Information Operations
  • Military Information Support Operations
  • Military Operations
  • Military Science
  • National Politics
  • Political Systems
  • Psychological Operations
  • Psychological Phenomena And Processes
  • Psychology
  • Second World War
  • Social Media
  • Societies
  • United States
  • Warfare

Readers

  • Irregular Warfare and Special Operations Cyberspace Operations against Adversarial Threats.
  • Political Violence and Terrorism Studies.