Demoralization (warfare)
: 153–155 
As a result of contradictions and threats, "man feels accused, guilty".: 155  The target will then begin their search for a cause that will provide a sense of righteousness.: 153–155  The pivotal moment of a successful demoralization campaign is when the target is doubt-ridden and anxious, the point at which individual members of a citizenry or group are detached from their current loyalty to their state or cause, and they are then able to be focused in another direction more suitable to the antagonist's needs.: 163 : 153–155 
If not executed properly, the manufactured sense of anxiety can both backfire on antagonists and cause the subject to cling more closely to their original cause or government.: 153

Diverting frustrations and hatred to a new target: The most powerful strategy of demoralization is diversion, but it is a very difficult and multifaceted operation.: 163  Lasswell says, "To undermine the active hatred of the enemy for its present antagonist, his anger must be distracted to a new and independent object, beside which his present antagonist ceases to matter.": 163  
Because it is such a distinct change, the diversion of hatred towards a new target is necessarily predicated upon the antagonist both diverting hatred away from themselves and fostering a level of anxiety that cannot be mitigated by their existing cause or leadership.: 163  Once antagonists meet the two precursors of demoralization, it is possible to "concentrate upon the particular object of animosity about which it is hoped to polarize the sentiment of the enemy".: 167  The diversion of hatred can be towards an ally, towards the enemy's government or governing class, or towards antistate sentiment to foster secession of minority nationalities if they exist.: 167–184 
The attempt to exacerbate relations between allies is one method of diverting hatred from an enemy and was attempted by both the Allied and Central Powers in World War I.: 167–168  The Germans made efforts to dig up historical animosity between the French and British, using such themes as the British were just letting the French bleed for them and the British intended to stay on French soil, and they offered a German-French alliance against the British and to expand French colonial domain at the expense of the British Empire.: 167–168 
The Allies tried to exacerbate the relationship between Austria-Hungary and Germany, using such themes as separate peace talks were being held with Austria-Hungary, Austria-Hungary had a plethora of food while Germans starved, Germans thought of Austrians as slaves, and the familiar promise of territorial expansion if Austria-Hungary abandoned their German alliance.: 168–169 
The antagonist can also attempt to divert hatred and frustration upon the target's government or ruling class, the most widely attempted method.: 169  One technique of diverting such frustration is to convince a target that their government or leadership is committing unjust and immoral acts, which is especially effective if the antagonist can convince their target that their leadership has forced them to commit equally unjust and immoral acts out of trickery or desperation.: 189 
If successfully implemented, the leadership of a cause can be made sufficiently troublesome to inspire revolution when there will be insufficient capacity to exercise active hatred towards the external enemy.: 169  Diverting frustration to one's own leadership is often the method most commonly seen in wartime propaganda, as the photographs below attest. With the implementation of modern warfare in World War I and all its associated stresses, "every belligerent took a hand in the perilous business of fomenting dissension and revolution abroad, reckless of the possible repercussions of a successful revolt".: 169 
Examples from World War I included German forces providing revolutionary literature to Russian prisoners of war that were expected to return through exchange or release, French use of propaganda leaflets to demonstrate how unaffected by war the Kaiser and his family were, technical encouragement and amplification of national dissent, Wilsonian propaganda stressing peaceful settlement terms, British planting of stories attesting to underground German resistance movements and their subsequent oppression by the German government, propaganda deflecting war guilt, propaganda exposing or exaggerating the desired postwar peace terms, and the promotion of the belief that infidelity was rampant among soldiers and their families back home.: 169–173 
The antagonist can attempt to divert frustration towards the growth of secessionist causes, which is possible in heterogeneous nations.: 173  Attempts are made to fan the flames of discontent one segment of the nation feels towards another.: 173  An example was the Congress of Oppressed Habsburg Nationalities in Rome in April 1918, all delegates signing a Declaration of Independence. Or actions were widely reported in US and European circles.: 175–178  Another successful example of this was the encouragement of Zionism as a means of securing Jewish support for World War I via the Balfour Declaration. The Central Powers likewise tried to encourage Ukrainian, Irish, Egyptian, North African, and Indian secessionist movements, but all efforts ultimately failed.: 175–178

Tactics: There are many tactics of pursuing a strategy of demoralization, the nature of the target and the environment at the time determining the best method to employ.: 164–167  Examples include:

Insertions into neutral press: 178–184 
Direct transmission (through publications or radio): 178–184 
Books and pamphlets (such as J’accuse): 178–184 
Forgeries, whether forged letters from home inspiring homesickness or forged government documents: 178–184 
Tactical delivery systems (airplane or balloon drops, "trench mortars"): 178–184 
Smuggling (use of printed propaganda for packing materials, camouflaging propaganda to appear as currency so it may be carried about freely): 178–184 
Deception: 178–184 
Disinformation: 178–184 
Agents of influence: 178–184

Defense: Morale can be difficult to maintain, in large part by the diffuse nature of demoralization attacks, but a strong leadership can largely mitigate any such attacks against their group's morale.: 89–90  Morale will quickly deteriorate if members of the group perceive themselves as victims of injustice or indifference on part of their leadership, or they perceive their leadership as being acting ineptly, ignorantly, or for personal ambition.: 88 
As noted by Angello Codevilla, the clearest indicators that morale can withstand a demoralization campaign are also hallmarks of a well-led organization, and can be explained through five main questions:

Do the constituent parts of the group fear their own leadership more than the enemy? That can be either an authoritarian type of fear or a more democratic type of fear in which the members of a group fear contributing to the failure of their cause.: 89 
Do the constituent parts of the group feel appreciated by their leadership? No human will work to their full potential if they do not feel appreciated, but those who feel appreciated will contribute remarkable amounts, including sacrifice of life.: 89 
Do the constituent parts of the group feel their contributions are important, and others depend on their continued effort towards the cause? That is dependent on leadership engendering a hope of success if all members does their part, but excess attempts to inspire can invite cynicism.: 89 
Do the constituent parts of the group have habits of loyalty and camaraderie? If so, high morale can be maintained in the most difficult circumstances out of a desire to avoid disappointing or endangering others.: 89 
Do the constituent parts of the group have faith in their leaders and the chances of success? As Codevilla notes, "If the two disappear, soldiers tend to believe they have been sold out and throw away their weapons." Credibility is the bedrock of defense against demoralization, but unwelcome surprise is the greatest threat to morale.: 90

Examples: Chieu Hoi, a South Vietnamese campaign for defection from the Viet Cong.
Operation Nifty Package, where the American military used loud music to encourage General Manuel Noriega to surrender.
Tokyo Rose, a Japanese broadcaster who used a radio show to demoralize American soldiers in the Pacific.

See also: 

References: 

External links: Der Spiegel on demoralization in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict
Los Angeles Times on demoralization by air attacks