Four Principals of Psychological Warfare

The concept of ‘Ideological Subversion’

Yuri Bezmenov explained that KGB was more concerned about the psychological warfare against the American government through ideological subversion rather than espionage activities, which constituted only 15% of their work. He highlighted how brainwashing techniques were used on the American population to infuse an ideology, distinct from Americanism. He further emphasized how manipulation of public opinion can make people reject obvious facts to cater to the existing perceptions and interests.

The demoralisation of a population

The former KGB informant stated that the Soviet Intelligence Agency used four methods to alter the mindset and behavior of people in foreign countries. The first step is that of demoralization which according to him took 15-20 years. During the phase, young people are influenced to question the integrity of a country and raise suspicions through media propaganda and academia. Perception takes the centre stage and facts become meaningless. He attributes it to the lack of moral standards in society.

For a population self-absorbed in a world of propaganda, and theories of Marxism and Leninism, truth loses its grip on the society. The older generation also loses control over the population due to consistent attacks on their moral fabric. Yuri Bezmenov revealed that the ‘demoralisation’ phase was completed before the interview and the Soviet Union was surprised at the ease of its execution. He also explained how those from the 60s were occupying high positions in the government, mass media, and civil services at the time of the interview. Yuri Bezmenov further claimed that another 20 years would take to create a new generation of patriotic American citizens.

Destabilisation, Crisis and Normalisation

As per the former KGB informant, destabilization of a country also referred to as the second step, meant altering the nation’s foreign relations, economy, defense systems. He said that the process takes 2-5 years to execute. He stated that the Marxist-Leninist hold over the American defense and economic sector was ‘fantastic.’ Bezmenov said that he never thought that the process would be so easy to execute in the US when he landed there in 1971. He highlighted that a country could be brought to a state of crisis, the third step, in a short time as six weeks and cited the example of Central America to make his point.

Coupled with a violent change in power structure and economy, the fourth phase of normalization is kicked in that can last indefinitely. The word normalization is derived from Soviet propaganda that seeks to downplay a drastic change in a country as a normal phenomenon. “This will happen in America if you allow the Schumuks to bring the country to crisis, promise people all kinds of goodies and paradise on Earth, destabilize your economy, eliminate the principle of free-market competition, put a Big Brother government in Washington DC with benevolent things,” he remarked.

Yuri Bezmenov reiterated that the US was in a state of undeclared war, against the principles on which it was founded, under the Communist conspiracy. “You don’t have to be paranoid… Unless the United States wakes up! The time bomb is ticking every second and the disaster is coming closer and closer. Unlike myself, you will have nowhere to defect,” he emphasized.