Britain’s secret ‘black propaganda’ operations | Top secret files expose how the UK government forged documents, controlled news agencies, and cultivated journalists amid Cold War struggle

submitted by GlacialTurtle to worldnews 67 points | 10 comments https://www.declassifieduk.org/britains-secret-black-propaganda-operations/ > The UK government used fake organisations and forged documents to disrupt its enemies and protect its interests amid the Cold War, declassified files show. > > The information comes in a series of highly sensitive files which were released to the National Archives in London. > > The files belonged to the Information Research Department (IRD), a clandestine anti-communist propaganda unit which operated in the Foreign Office between 1948 and 1977. > > Within the IRD there was a highly secretive subdivision named the Special Editorial Unit (SEU), which specialised in the “dark arts” of covert statecraft with assistance from MI6. > > That involved planning and executing “black” propaganda operations such as the creation of fictitious organisations and the dissemination of forged documents. > > These “black” operations were designed “to encourage a reaction, incite violence, or foment racial tensions”, according to historian Rory Cormac, whose new book looks into the key figures behind the SEU. > > The SEU also secretly controlled a series of global news agencies which posed as legitimate media groups and functioned as conduits for British propaganda content. > > In addition to this, it supplied “independent” journalists with special briefings and pre-written articles which were then published under their own names. > > The focus of much of this material was on the Soviet Union and its external activities, but other campaigns targeted left-wing and national liberation movements across the developing world. > > Anti-colonial leaders such as Egypt’s Gamal Abdel Nasser, Indonesia’s Sukarno, and Ghana’s Kwame Nkrumah were a frequent focus of British propaganda operations.