Created: 2023.05.19
Introduction
Sadly many, perhaps most, North American organizations operate as if the CIA had infiltrated them and implemented their Simple Sabotage tactics.
The Office of Strategic Services (OSS), a precursor to the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), was established during World War II to collect intelligence and conduct covert operations. In 1944, the OSS published the "Simple Sabotage Field Manual," a guide designed to instruct agents on how to disrupt enemy organizations and infrastructure. While the document was declassified in the 1970s, its relevance has not waned, and many argue that the CIA has continued to use its principles to sabotage organizations in the present day.
The "Simple Sabotage Field Manual"
The OSS created the "Simple Sabotage Field Manual" to provide a comprehensive guide on the tactics and techniques of simple sabotage – actions that ordinary citizens could carry out to undermine the enemy's war effort. The manual covers a wide range of topics, from damaging physical infrastructure to disrupting the efficiency of organizations.
At the time, the manual was intended to be used by OSS agents and resistance fighters to infiltrate and destabilize enemy-controlled territories. The methods outlined were meant to be easy to execute, requiring minimal training and resources. However, many of these tactics have proven to be enduringly effective and can still be observed in contemporary conflicts and organizational disruptions.
Sabotaging Organizations: Timeless Techniques
While the manual's primary focus was on physical acts of sabotage, it also delved into more subtle means of undermining organizations. Some of the tactics described include:
Organizations and Conferences
Insist on doing everything through “channels.” Never permit short-cuts to be taken in order to expedite decisions. Make “speeches.” Talk as frequently as possible and at great length. Illustrate your “points” by long anecdotes and accounts of personal experiences. When possible, refer all matters to committees, for “further study and consideration.” Attempt to make the committee as large as possible — never less than five. Bring up irrelevant issues as frequently as possible. Haggle over precise wordings of communications, minutes, resolutions. Refer back to matters decided upon at the last meeting and attempt to re-open the question of the advisability of that decision. Advocate “caution.” Be “reasonable” and urge your fellow-conferees to be “reasonable” and avoid haste which might result in embarrassments or difficulties later on.
Managers:
In making work assignments, always sign out the unimportant jobs first. See that important jobs are assigned to inefficient workers. Insist on perfect work in relatively unimportant products; send back for refinishing those which have the least flaw. To lower morale and with it, production, be pleasant to inefficient workers; give them undeserved promotions. Hold conferences when there is more critical work to be done. Multiply the procedures and clearances involved in issuing instructions, pay checks, and so on. See that three people have to approve everything where one would do.
Employees:
Work slowly Work slowly. Contrive as many interruptions to your work as you can. Do your work poorly and blame it on bad tools, machinery, or equipment. Complain that these things are preventing you from doing your job right. Never pass on your skill and experience to a new or less skillful worker. These tactics, though seemingly harmless, can be incredibly effective in stalling progress and reducing the efficiency of organizations. Surprisingly, they remain relevant even today and can often be observed in corporate, government, and non-profit organizations alike.
The CIA's Alleged Use of the Manual
Some critics argue that the CIA has continued to utilize the principles outlined in the "Simple Sabotage Field Manual" to destabilize organizations, both foreign and domestic. They claim that the CIA, through covert means, has been responsible for infiltrating organizations, sowing discord, and causing dysfunction.
While it is difficult to prove the extent of the CIA's involvement in these activities, the tactics outlined in the manual have been observed in various instances of organizational breakdown. For example, the manual's principles could be seen at play in the Arab Spring uprisings, where social and political organizations were thrown into disarray.
Conclusion
The "Simple Sabotage Field Manual" from 1944 provides a fascinating glimpse into the mindset and strategies of the OSS during World War II. Its focus on disrupting organizations through subtle means highlights the enduring nature of these tactics. While it is difficult to definitively link the CIA to contemporary acts of sabotage, the manual's principles continue to resonate today, as many organizations struggle with inefficiency and dysfunction. Perhaps more important for most of us - recognize these ways that we sabotage ourselves and strive to rise above the self sabotage.