The persuasion in the waves: An analysis of Radio Swan's propaganda efforts during Operation Bay of Pigs

Student: Zurie Barrere UvA-ID: 6098746 Professor: R. Mesker Academic English 2nd emes!er "09#$0%

Index:

1. - Introduction 2. - Bay of Pigs and the Program of #. - Introducing "adio S$an %. - &he art of 'ro'aganda (. onc)usion A Against astro!s "egime

Introduction

"One of the most horrible features of war is that all the war-propaganda, all the screaming and lies and hatred, comes invariably from people who are not fighting."George Orwell, Homage to Catalonia, !"#

&'mmunica!i'n and ('li!ics are !igh!l) linked (hen'mena. *e c'ns!ruc! 'ur reali!) 'n !he +asis ', ne-s -e hear. !alk a+'u!. lis!en. -a!ch 'r read: reali!) is. !here,'re. (ar!l) c'ns!ruc!ed !hr'ugh language. /ns',ar as 'ur (erce(!i'n is in,luenced +) linguis!ic means. !he media is !he ideal 0ehicle !' !r) !' s-a) !he (u+lic '(ini'n. crea!e ('li!ical unres!. !arge! !he m'rale ', !he enem) 'r discredi! him !hr'ugh (r'(agandis!ic me!h'ds. 1he radi'. es(eciall) )ears ag' -hen li!erac) ra!es -ere markedl) l'-er and !ele0isi'n n'! )e! as -ides(read. ,i!!ed !his r'le !' (er,ec!i'n and -as e2!ensi0el) used !' achie0e a 0arie!) ', ('li!ical g'als.

3r'+a+l) 'ne ', !he m's! n'!'ri'us uses has +een !ha! ', radi' -ar,are and (r'(aganda. 4e,ined as 5!he 'rganised a!!em(! !' a,,ec! +elie, 'r ac!i'n 'r inculca!e a!!i!ude in a large audience in -a)s !ha! circum0en! 'r su((ress an indi0idual6s ade7ua!el) in,'rmed. ra!i'nal. re,lec!i0e 8udgemen!9$. (r'(aganda can +e e2!remel) e,,ec!i0e -hen carried 'u! ,'ll'-ing !he (er!inen! guidelines. Man) leaders ha0e relied u('n !heir (r'(agandis!ic machiner) !' a!!rac! !he masses and acc'm(lish !heir ('li!ical '+8ec!i0es. :i!ler. ,'r ins!ance. a!!ri+u!ed !' (r'(aganda !he a+ili!) !' make (e'(le see hea0en as hell 'r an e2!remel) -re!ched li,e as (aradise. M're recen!. !he ;ni!ed !a!es6 "; % e2'r+i!an! (r'(aganda e2(endi!ure during &'ld

*ar < !en +illi'n d'llars acc'rding !' 3e!rusenk' "$977% < seems (r'', ', !he a((eal !ha! !he -'nders ', (ersuasi'n h'ld !' rulers ', dem'cra!ic s!a!es.

&er!ainl). radi' -ar,are and (r'(aganda e2am(les a+'und !hr'ugh'u! his!'r). =er) (r'li,ic in !ha! regard. !he ; &en!ral /n!elligence Agenc) "&/A% has made e2!ensi0e use ', such me!h'ds

-i!h 0ar)ing degrees ', success !hr'ugh'u! !he &'ld *ar. 1his (a(er in!ends !' anal)se i!s use
1

MARLIN, Randal (2002): Propaganda and the ethics of persuasion. Broadview Press.

', Radi' -ar,are during >(era!i'n Ba) ', 3igs: m're s(eci,icall). !he r'le (la)ed +) i!s gre) s!a!i'n Radi' -an and !he e,,ec!i0eness ', i!s (r'(aganda e,,'r!s.

1he ,irs! sec!i'n -ill (r'0ide a sh'r!. general his!'rical +ackgr'und ', !he '(era!i'n. -hile !he sec'nd -ill ,'cus. in m're de!ail. 'n !he radi' s!a!i'n and i!s (r'(agandis!ic +r'adcas!s. /n !he !hird (ar!. !he !he'ries ', se0eral ('s!eri'r (r'(aganda !he'ris!s -ill +e a((lied !' !he &u+an scenari' !' search ,'r -eak s('!s in !he (er,'rmance ', !he (r'(agandis!ic +r'adcas!s.

Bay of Pigs and the *Program of

overt Action Against

astro!s "egime+

1he Ba) ', 3igs '(era!i'n -as a small?scale. ;

+acked e2ile in0asi'n !ha! !''k (lace in &u+a

in $96$. Bu! !he in0asi'n -as 'nl) !he a(e2 ', a m're e2!ensi0e c'0er! ac!i0i!): 51he 3r'gram ', &'0er! Ac!i'n "&A% Agains! &as!r'6s Regime9. A,!er !he &u+an re0'lu!i'n had 'us!ed Ba!is!a. &as!r' enac!ed an Agrarian Re,'rm (r'hi+i!ing ,'reign '-nershi( ', !he land. a measure de!rimen!al mainl) !' !he ; ,rui! in!eres!s 'n !he island. 1he (r'gram -as de0ised +) !he &/A

during !he Eisenh'-er (residenc) a,!er !he &u+an re0'lu!i'n had 'us!ed Ba!is!a. -i!h !he (ur('se ', discredi!ing !he &as!r' g'0ernmen! and (a0e !he -a) ,'r !he li+era!i'n ', &u+a +) &u+an e2ile ,'rces.

1he (r'8ec! relied hea0il) 'n (r'(aganda. as i!s main g'al -as !' !i!illa!e !he &u+an ('(ula!i'n s' !he) -'uld su(('r! !he an!i?&as!r' insurgen!s s('ns'red +) !he &/A -hen !he) landed in &u+a. 1he (r'(aganda e,,'r!s -ere ins(ired +) a (re0i'us (r'(aganda success. !he 'us!ing ', !he @ua!emalan leader Aac'+' Ar+enB. As in @ua!emala. !he radi' s!a!i'n -'uld +e c''rdina!ed -i!h a mili!ar) cam(aign. and !he same (e'(le. :'-ard :un! and 4a0e A!lee 3hilli(s -ere in charge ', !he +r'adcas!s.

ch'lars di,,er 'n !he e0alua!i'n ', !he Ba) ', 3igs '(era!i'n. >n !he 'ne hand. i! is +elie0ed !ha! !he &/A grea!l) underes!ima!ed &as!r'6s ('(ular su(('r! in &u+a. -hile a! !he same !ime '0eres!ima!ing i!s '-n ca(a+ili!) !' genera!e !he (r'(er (s)ch'l'gical clima!e !ha! -'uld !rigger an an!i?c'mmunis! re0'l! -hen !he e2ile ,'rce in0aded a! !he Ba) ', 3igs "*)den

$979%. /ndeed. &as!r'6s su(('r! am'ng &u+ans -as -ider !han e2(ec!ed +) !he &/A and !he ; g'0ernmen!. 1he &u+an re0'lu!i'n had +een !he resul! ', 5cen!uries ', re(ressi'n. ('0er!).

c'rru(!i'n. ine7uali!) and e2(l'i!a!i'n +) ,'reign ('-ers92.

>n !he '!her hand. :un!. 4ulles and 3hilli(s C argue !ha! Radi'

-an6s in!en!i'n -as n'! !'

igni!e a ('(ular u(rising. +u! !' c'n,use and crea!e an2ie!). 1heir c'nclusi'n is. ra!her. !ha! !he in0asi'n ,ailed due !' Denned)6s decisi'n n'! !' c'mmi! ; ,'rces in su(('r! ', !he e2ile ,'rce.

E'ne!heless. !he 53r'gram ', &A agains! &as!r'6s Regime9 seems !' indica!e !ha! Eisenh'-er (laced grea! h'(e in !he (r'(aganda6s a+ili!) !' gain su(('r! in &u+a.

Introducing "adio S$an

1he &A (r'gram '+ser0ed !he se!!ing u( ', a gre) s!a!i'n. masked as a c'mmercial 0en!ure. under !he &/A (r'(rie!ar) !he @i+ral!ar !eamshi( &'m(an). in a small island l'ca!ed F0

kil'me!res ',, !he :'nduras c'as!. 1he s!a!i'n c'nsis!ed ', a F0 D* medium -a0e !ransmi!!er and a 7 G D* sh'r! -a0e !ransmi!!er. and +r'adcas!ed 8 G h'urs. 6 da)s a -eek. e0eral

e2iles !''k (ar! in !he radi' (r'grams: -ell?kn'-n &u+an 8'urnalis!s. radi' ann'uncers. and '(('si!i'n leaders li0ing in !he ; .

Al!h'ugh Radi'

-an and i!s (r'(aganda e,,'r!s -ere 0alued ('si!i0el) +) !he &/A 4. !he

declassi,ied his!'r) ', !he s!a!i'n re0eals a marked decline in !he e,,ec!i0eness ', i!s emissi'ns due !' lack ', c''rdina!i'n and l'ss ', re(u!a!i'n. 1he in,igh!ing +e!-een !he di,,eren! e2ile ('li!ical ,ac!'rs. !he sensa!i'nalism ', !he (r'grams. !he gra!ui!) ', !he -ild rum'urs s(read and !he ,ac! !ha! !he ; -as iden!i,ied +ehind i!s +r'adcas!s earl) 'n +'!h +) &u+an readers

and American 8'urnalis!s "3e!rusenk'. $977H Ellis!'n. $999% a,,ec!ed !he credi+ili!) ', !he s!a!i'n. Ee0er!heless. !he &/A6s ',,icial ('si!i'n -as !ha! !he s!a!i'n had ser0ed i!s (ur('se in (resen!ing !he desired (ic!ure ', !he ,igh!ing in &u+a !' !he -'rld.

2 ' ,

ELLISTON, on (1!!!)" Psy war on Cuba: The declassified history of U.S. Anti-Castro propaganda. O#ean Boo$s" Mel%o&rne SOLE(, Lawren#e ). (1!*!)" Radio Warfare: SS and C!A sub"ersi"e propaganda. New (or$, N(" Prae+er ELLISTON, on (1!!!)" Psy war on Cuba: The declassified history of U.S. Anti-Castro propaganda. O#ean Boo$s" Mel%o&rne

/, !he ul!ima!e g'al ', >(era!i'n Ba) ', 3igs -as !rul) !' ini!ia!e an u(rising !hr'ugh (ersuasi0e !echni7ues. !he (r'(aganda e,,'r!s migh! ha0e +een handled m're e,,ec!i0el) had s'me c'nsidera!i'ns a+'u! !he na!ure ', !he (r'(aganda +een !aken. 1he ,'ll'-ing sec!i'n seeks !' ,ur!her illus!ra!e !his ('in!.

&he art of Pro'aganda

/, !he 5real ar! ', (r'(aganda c'nsis!s ', unders!anding !he em'!i'nal ideas ', !he grea! masses and ,inding. !hr'ugh a (s)ch'l'gicall) c'rrec! ,'rm. !he -a) !' !he a!!en!i'n and hence !' !he hear! ', !he +r'ad masses9 ":i!ler. ci!. in Marlin. 2002. (. 8$%. kn'-ing !he mind ', !he in!ended audience. a!!rac!ing i!s a!!en!i'n and securing i! is cer!ainl) c'm(uls'r). E' c'mmunica!i'n -ill 'ccur unless !he -'rds ', !he s(eaker reach !he mind ', !he lis!ener.

Radi'

-an had a -ide rece(!i'n in !he &ari++ean. -i!h lis!eners ,r'm all (ar!s ', &u+a F. Al+ei!

(i0'!al !' !he success ', (r'(aganda. rece(!i'n d'es n'! e7ual c'nnec!i'n. /! is n'-ada)s im('ssi+le !' de!ermine. measure 'r e0alua!e !he 7uali!) ', !he ra(('r! +e!-een !he +r'adcas!er and !he audience. +u! :'-ard :un!6s -'rds are re0ealing: 5'ur an!i?&as!r' (r'(aganda -as n'! al-a)s res('nsi0e !' -ha! -as ha((ening in &as!r'?land9 6.

A m're in?de(!h anal)sis ', Radi'

-an6s (r'(aganda un0eils !he m'!i0es +ehind i!s dismal

(er,'rmance. 1he ,'ll'-ing classi,ica!i'n de,ines se0eral !)(es ', (r'(aganda '+ser0ing ca!eg'ries such as !he s'urce. !he !arge!. !he direc!i'nali!) and !he !em(' ', !he message. 1his !he're!ical ,rame-'rk can +e a((lied !' !he &u+an scenari' ? +ased 'n !he declassi,ied in,'rma!i'n a0aila+le < !' e0alua!e !he &/A6s (ersuasi0e ac!i0i!ies:

a% 1he s'urce re,ers !' !he 'rigin ', !he (r'(agandis!ic dis(a!ch: !he (r'(aganda can !hus +e blac$, grey 'r white. Black (r'(aganda (ur('r!s !' 'rigina!e ,r'm a s'urce '!her !han !he real 'ne. -hile -hi!e (r'(aganda is !he 'ne issued +) an ackn'-ledged s'urce. Radi' -an -as a

gre) s!a!i'n: in '!her -'rds. !he s'urce ', !he message -as n'! iden!i,ied and !he e2ac!ness
.

ELLISTON, on (1!!!)" Psy war on Cuba: The declassified history of U.S. Anti-Castro propaganda. O#ean Boo$s" Mel%o&rne ELLISTON, on (1!!!)" Psy war on Cuba: The declassified history of U.S. Anti-Castro propaganda. O#ean Boo$s" Mel%o&rne

', i!s claims -ere hard !' dem'ns!ra!e7.

ch'lars a!!ach grea! im('r!ance !' c'ncealing !he m'!i0e +ehind !he +r'adcas!s "Ellul. ci!ed in Marlin. 2002H MackenBie. $9C8%. 1he real ar! ', !he (r'(agandis! is 5ne0er !' +e !h'ugh! a (r'(agandis!. +u! !' seem !' +e a +lu,,. sim(le. h'n'ura+le enem) -h' -'uld ne0er !hink ', descending !' !he le0el ', (r'(aganda9 8. &learl). !he ,ac! !ha! Radi' -an -as 5s'urce ', s'me

', !he m's! +la!an! disin,'rma!i'n (l')s ', !he an!i?&as!r' (s)?-ar9 9 "Ellis!'n.$999% did li!!le !' ad0ance !he &/A6s cause.

+% An anal)sis ', !he (r'(aganda ,r'm !he !arge! (ers(ec!i0e )ields !-' '(('si!e a((r'aches !' (ersuasi'n: ra!i'nali!) and irra!i'nali!). /rra!i'nal (r'(aganda dra-s ,r'm (assi'n ra!her !han reas'n. /!s g'al is !' dis!rac! !he lis!ener ,r'm e0alua!ing !he in,'rma!i'n ra!i'nall). Radi' -an in0'ked !he em'!i'nal side ', !he lis!ener and cer!ainl) -as (r'ne !' a!r'ci!) (r'(aganda. +u! !he claims made c'uld +e easil) 0eri,ied < and denied.

Ir'm Ellul6s ('in! ', 0ie-. !he a((eal !ha! em'!i'nal. (r'(aganda h'lds !' !he masses !ends !' disa((ear '0er!ime. Ra!i'nal and seemingl) in,'rma!i0e (r'(aganda is m're e,,ec!i0e: em'!i'n migh! +e use,ul !' di0er! !he (r'(agandee6s a!!en!i'n. +u! m're s'lid gr'und is needed i, !he message is !' +e in!ernalised +) !he !arge! audience. 1he -'rd (r'(aganda i!sel, h'lds !he nega!i0e c'nn'!a!i'n ', l)ing. ', dece(!i'n and mani(ula!i'n. and -hen une!hical +eha0i'ur is rec'gniBed as such +) '!hers in s'cie!). i! elici!s disa((r'0al.

c% 1he !em(' ', !he message rela!es !' !he !ime s(an !he (r'(agandis!ic ac!i0i!) ela(ses: i! is ('ssi+le !' dis!inguish +e!-een in!egra!i'n (r'(aganda 'r agi!a!i'n (r'(aganda "als' called re0'lu!i'nar) (r'(aganda%. /n!egra!i'n (r'(aganda is +e!!er unders!''d in a Jeninis! c'n!e2!: i! re,ers !' !he l'ng?!erm ,'rma!i'n and ind'c!rina!i'n ', !he masses. Agi!a!i'n (r'(aganda. 'n !he '!her hand. em+'dies sh'r!?!erm in!ense ('li!ical 'r re0'lu!i'nar) !echni7ues. 1he na!ure
/

LINEBAR0ER, Pa&l M1ron An23on1. (1!-,)" Psychological Warfare. 4as3in+2on" )o5%a2 6or#e Press. MARLIN, Randal (2002): Propaganda and the ethics of persuasion. Broadview Press. 7. !ELLISTON, on (1!!!)" Psy war on Cuba: The declassified history of U.S. Anti-Castro propaganda. O#ean Boo$s" Mel%o&rne

', &A i!sel, im(edes !he leng!hier '(!i'n. in s(i!e ', i!s grea!er e,,ec!i0eness.

d% 1he las! sec!i'n addresses !he direc!i'nali!) ', !he message. =er!ical (r'(aganda is !ha! ,r'm !'(?!'?+'!!'m. -hereas h'riB'n!al (r'(aganda de0el'(s -i!hin !he masses and c'ncerns !he s'cie!al s!ruc!ures and ins!i!u!i'ns -hich make u( ,'r !he 0er) ,'unda!i'n ', an) s'cie!). /n reali!). &u+an e2iles !''k (ar! in !he +r'adcas!s. +u! !h'se in charge ', !hem -ere &/A men. -hich acc'un!s ,'r !he 0er!icali!) ', !he +r'adcas!s.

Elull6s dis!inc!i'n +e!-een (re?(r'(aganda and (r'(aganda 'ugh! !' +e +'rne in mind -hen re,erring !' !he !em(' and direc!i'nali!) ', !he (r'(agandis!ic message. :e de,ines (re? (r'(aganda as !he se! ', +elie,s. a!!i!udes and m)!hs shared +) !he !arge!ed gr'u(. -hich ha0e +een (re0i'usl) c'ndi!i'ned 'r in!ernalised: !his c'nce(!i'n is !he gr'und 'n -hich !he (r'(aganda !akes r''!. !he mind ', !he audience. A((l)ing !his idea !' !he classi,ica!i'n a! hand. (re?(r'(aganda -'uld enc'm(ass +'!h !he in!egra!i'n and !he h'riB'n!al "'r s'ci'l'gical% (r'(aganda. !echni7ues a+'0e discussed. ra!i,)ing i!s increased e,,ec!i0eness in '(('si!i'n !' !he '!her

onc)usion

1he s(ec!acular ,ailure ', !he Ba) ', 3igs in0asi'n -as dee(l) in,luenced. i, n'! de!ermined. +) !he l'- 7uali!) ', !he &/A6s (r'(aganda e,,'r!s. &er!ainl). man) '!her reas'ns l)ing 'u!side !he (r'(agandis!ic s(here c'uld als' +e (u! ,'r-ard !' acc'un! ,'r !he disas!r'us 'u!c'me ', !he '(era!i'n. E'ne!heless. !he ,ac! !ha! Radi' -an6s claims did n'! ,ind !he desired res('nse

am'ng &u+ans -as decisi0e !' !he ,ailure ', !he in0asi'n.

1he ;

(r'(aganda migh! ha0e !aken r''! in !he minds ', !he &u+an (e'(le. had i! +een

c'nduc!ed -i!h a dee(er unders!anding ', !he essence ', (ersuasi'n. had !h'se in charge ', !he +r'adcas!s !aken in!' acc'un! s'me +asic n'!i'ns regarding (r'(aganda. /! can +e c'ncluded !ha! Radi' -an6s a!!em(!s a! igni!ing a ('(ular re0'l! -ere !' n' a0ail +ecause ',

!he &/A6s ina+ili!) !' c'nnec! -i!h !he ,eelings ', !he &u+an ('(ula!i'n a! !ha! !ime.

1he !'!al ina+ili!) !' +uild a ra(('r! -as caused +) se0eral ,ac!'rs. /n rela!i'n !' !he area ', (r'(aganda. !he ,'ll'-ing ha0e +een (u! ,'r-ard in !his (a(er: a% !he u!!er lack ', credi+ili!) ', !he s!a!i'n am'ng &u+ans. +% !he inca(aci!) ', !he &/A !' c'nceal !he m'!i0e +ehind !he +r'adcas!s c% !he '0erall inade7uac) ', !he (r'(aganda +r'adcas!ed. -hich -as a((r'ached -i!h 0er!icali!) and em'!i'nal (r'claims ins!ead ', h'riB'n!ali!) and ra!i'nali!).

Ma)+e !he -'rds m's! ,i!!ing !' descri+e !he si!ua!i'n are !h'se ', Aris!'!le. a man -h' -r'!e a! leng!h a+'u! rhe!'ric and ('li!ics. +'!h n'!i'ns 0er) much in rela!i'n -i!h (r'(aganda. :e said !ha! 5anybody can become angry--that is easy, but to be angry with the right person and to the right degree and at the right time and for the right purpose, and in the right way--that is not within everybody%s power and is not easy.& /n !he same -a). a!!em(!ing !' (r'0'ke in !he &u+an ('(ula!i'n !ha! kind ', 5e2ac! rage9 !'-ards a leader -i!h -ides(read su(('r!: !ha! is cer!ainl) n'! eas). and re7uires a dee( unders!anding ', !he !echni7ues ', (ersuasi'n. an unders!anding dis!inc!l) lacking in !he -h'le ', Radi' -an6s emissi'ns.

BIB,I-."AP/0

&R/ EJJ. Andre- "$986%: 'nderstanding (adio. J'nd'n: R'u!ledge

EJJ/ 1>E. A'n "$999%: )sy war on Cuba* +he declassified history of '.,. -ntiCastro propaganda. >cean B''ks: Mel+'urne MA&DEEZ/E. AA "$9C8%: )ropaganda boom. J'nd'n: 1he Righ! B''k &lu+ MARJ/E. Randal "2002%: )ropaganda and the ethics of persuasion. Br'ad0ie3ress. 3E1R; EED>. =i!al) "$977%: - .angerous Game* C/- and the 0ass 0edia. 3rague: /n!er(ress. RA*E JEK. @ar) 4. "$996%: (adio .iplomacy and )ropaganda. +he 11C and 2O- in /nternational )olitics, !34-54. Basings!'ke: Macmillan >JEK. Ja-rence &. "$989%: (adio 6arfare* O,, and C/- subversive propaganda. Ee- K'rk. EK: 3raeger >JEK. J.&. L A. . E/&:>J "$987%: Clandestine (adio 1roadcasting* - study of revolutionary and counter-revolutionary electronic communication. EK: 3raeger. *A B;RE. 3hil' &. "$992%: 1roadcasting )ropaganda* /nternational (adio 1roadcasting and the Construction of )olitical (eality. @reen-''d 3ress.