Republishing my interview with disinformation analyst Dietmar Pichler on how the peace movement was infiltrated by the KGB and how the word 'peace' is still weaponized by those who wage war
I really appreciated this quote: "So what we always forget is that it’s not only that Putin is using the same techniques, they can rely on the same people they brainwashed back in the Soviet era."
Growing up in a Navy town during and after the Vietnam War, I saw firsthand the deep wounds left by that conflict. Several friends’ fathers, particularly those who served in the brown-water Navy, returned with severe PTSD. Presumably well intentioned elements of the peace movement often protested near local Navy bases or along the tracks of white trains headed our way. At times, however, they showed little empathy toward service members labeled as "baby killers"—or toward their families, especially their children.
In that context, what’s missing from the quote is recognition of the lasting impact on those traumitized by radicalized movements. I remember in 2016 seeing classmates share emotionally charged, misleading, and I suspect inauthentic memes on Facebook claiming refugees were treated better than homeless Vietnam veterans.
People who had witnessed the suffering of Vietnam veterans were especially vulnerable to such emotional triggers, which short-circuited critical thinking about whether the claims were true and, if so, in what specific context—such as city-specific refugee programs in places like New York.
The ability to microtarget children of Vietnam veterans—those already deeply affected by earlier radicalization—is also a serious concern to consider. When people are intentionally triggered, they are more likely to react emotionally rather than reason thoughtfully, making it easier to justify harmful actions or do them on accident as a reflex.
I really appreciated this quote: "So what we always forget is that it’s not only that Putin is using the same techniques, they can rely on the same people they brainwashed back in the Soviet era."
Growing up in a Navy town during and after the Vietnam War, I saw firsthand the deep wounds left by that conflict. Several friends’ fathers, particularly those who served in the brown-water Navy, returned with severe PTSD. Presumably well intentioned elements of the peace movement often protested near local Navy bases or along the tracks of white trains headed our way. At times, however, they showed little empathy toward service members labeled as "baby killers"—or toward their families, especially their children.
In that context, what’s missing from the quote is recognition of the lasting impact on those traumitized by radicalized movements. I remember in 2016 seeing classmates share emotionally charged, misleading, and I suspect inauthentic memes on Facebook claiming refugees were treated better than homeless Vietnam veterans.
People who had witnessed the suffering of Vietnam veterans were especially vulnerable to such emotional triggers, which short-circuited critical thinking about whether the claims were true and, if so, in what specific context—such as city-specific refugee programs in places like New York.
The ability to microtarget children of Vietnam veterans—those already deeply affected by earlier radicalization—is also a serious concern to consider. When people are intentionally triggered, they are more likely to react emotionally rather than reason thoughtfully, making it easier to justify harmful actions or do them on accident as a reflex.