BLACK BOOMERANG THE WORLD WAR 2 TOP SECRET BRITISH BLACK PROPAGANDA OPERATION.
excerpt for fair use
It was the Navy that first saw the potential of black propaganda, Ian Fleming personal assistant to Admiral Godfrey approached Delmer with the object of setting up a dept in naval Intelligence to further the U boat war. It was to be the Navy who by backing Delmer and black propaganda allowed it to develop into the powerful weapon it eventually became. The Navy managed to pry Aspidistra the biggest transmitter in the world from the BBC and black propaganda created for them the live news station Atlantiksender, broadcasting non stop music, hot jazz, swing and news for the u-boat crews.
This was not black propaganda it was something new, “Grey†and in essence was all the more dangerous for German morale. The U-boat crew listeners realising it‘s “allied†origins became deeply alarmed at just how much the enemy knew. What could be more horrific than being deep below the surface and feeling that the enemy knew exactly who you are and where you were? With a growing first rate intelligence dept, daily intelligence reports from the Navy and the Combined Services Detailed Interrogation Cage’s, personnel information culled from newspapers, periodicals even letters from families of captured German’s they gained names and details to add to their stories“ Cover, dirt, cover, cover, dirt, cover, dirt" is the approximate rhythm -'dirt' being the items that would make the listeners think and act on lines displeasing to their Fuhrer. It was a huge success!
With the dramatic launch of Soldatensender Calais came a move to 24hr broadcasting on medium wave, with a softening up operation in preparation for the invasion of France. The stories that went out over Soldatensender were re-used for the production of a daily newspaper bombed in to Germany, Nachrichten fur die Truppe. From its earliest days black propaganda with its own master forger had used printed matter as part of its output. Everything from forged ration books identity cards to official German documents anything that they could put a subtle and insidious black twist upon.
Soldatensender brought the first news of the D Day landings to the world. The breakdown in communications between the German units at this period was so grave that many German commanders tuned in to Calais for situation reports' using them to chalk in corrections to the constantly changing order of battle on their staff maps. This information was 99 times out of a 100 correct on the hundredth it would drive the Germans into a trap set by the allies.
The breaking news on the 20th of July the attempt on Hitler’s life, was for the Black Propaganda team, to become the greatest news story of the war. The revolt of the army against Hitler and the Party was the consummation of all they had been working for. They played it to the full implicating as many as possible in the plot. With all this to encourage them, the Soldatensender demanded that an end be put to the war to save Germany. And in their self-appointed capacity as spokesmen of the decent fighting frontline soldier' they turn the heat on Hitler.