The FLN and Propaganda

Throughout history, propaganda has been one of the most effective forms of terrorism. It leads people to act irrationally and out of character by either scaring them or by “brainwashing” them. Propaganda is used both by state and Nonstate actors. Propaganda has started wars and caused genocides. It is a very powerful political tool that is difficult to regulate and control.

One example of the power of propaganda was during the Nigerian War for independence. Propaganda was used by the French government as well as the National Liberation Front, or the FLN. The French used propaganda in France to gain public support to use violence against the FLN in Algeria. They talked about the violence that the Algerians were using. This angered the citizens which influenced them to support the violence that France was using. The FLN also used propaganda and psychological warfare to fight the French. An example of their propaganda was a book called A Dying Colonialism. In the book, Frantz Fanon talks about the importance of the common Algerian war effort. “He explains how an entire family could be recruited to hide or care for FLN members,” (Davis, 2007). This shows how nationalism can be used as propaganda to try and influence people to fight the French.

Another example of the strength of propaganda was the Rwandan genocide. The genocide was against the Tutsis, by the Hutu population. About 800,000 Rwandans were killed during a 100-day period. “Though the genocide was planned by the ‘Hutu Power’ Government and executed by the military and armed militia groups, a large number of civilians were actively involved in the atrocities,” (Lower and Hauschildt, 2014). The power of the propaganda was so strong that civilians were killing their neighbors. “What made propaganda particularly effective was the simultaneous dehumanization of Tutsi and the legitimization of their extermination,” (Lower and Hauschildt, 2014). The propaganda was so effective by the government, that the Hutus began to see their neighbors as less than human.

Propaganda is still used today by state and Nonstate actors. One of the central examples of a state actor is North Korea. In North Korea, propaganda is used to, “propagate an official personality cult and to manufacture absolute obedience,” (2014). Even though that the goal is not to influence violence, propaganda is still a terror tactic. The government uses fear to scare the people into following in line and not creating any problems. The North Korean government also uses execution as a fear method to scare the people even more. This makes sure that people do not commit even small “crimes,” such as watching South Korean television. This keeps total control to the government because people are to scared to learn about the outside world and just follow what they are told b the government.

Another example of modern propaganda is terrorist groups such as ISIS and al Qaeda. When Abdul Razak Ali Artan attacked the students at Ohio State University, there is evidence that he was influenced by ISIS propaganda. This spreads the influence of the terrorist to any person with internet access. It can influence any one in the whole world, not just people living in the Middle East. Terrorist propaganda is becoming very effective in influencing lone wolf attacks, such as the mass shooting in Orlando. Any mad individual can now be influenced by terrorist organizations half way around the globe. Social media has become very effective in spreading propaganda, and makes it much more difficult for law enforcement to limit it due to the vastness of the internet.

Propaganda is a very effective political tool that can be used to influence large populations or individuals. It can be used to control a whole country or influence people around the world to commit acts of terror. Either way, the use of propaganda is a terror tactic that influences people in a negative way. Propaganda can turn everyday people into violent, hating attackers who are influenced by often false information and fear.

                                                                                                                                                

Davis, M. (2007). The FLN’s Strategy for Gaining an Independent

Algeria, 1954-1962. Retrieved March 26, 2017, from http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.211.2393&rep=rep1&type=pdf

Hauschildt, M. L. (2014, September 15). The Media as a Tool of War:

Propaganda in the Rwandan Genocide. Retrieved March 26, 2017, from http://www.hscentre.org/sub-saharan-africa/media-tool-war-propaganda-rwandan-genocide/

Memmott, M. (2014, February 17). U.N. Report Details North Korea's

'Crimes Against Humanity' Retrieved March 26, 2017, from http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwoway/2014/02/17/278461563/u-n-report-details-north-koreas-crimes-against-humanity