Simple Sabotage Field Manual

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

26184

Title

Simple Sabotage Field Manual

Language

en

Book source

Project Gutenberg

Description max 80 words

A pragmatic guide for ordinary citizens to disrupt enemy war efforts through everyday acts of sabotage. The manual outlines simple, low-risk methods using common household items to damage machinery, delay production, and lower morale without requiring specialized training or dangerous tools.

Summary up to 500 words

Published by the United States Office of Strategic Services (OSS) in January 1944, the *Simple Sabotage Field Manual* redefines sabotage not as the work of trained operatives, but as a series of simple acts performed by ordinary citizens. The manual distinguishes between physical destruction using common household items like salt, nails, and candles, and the 'human element,' which involves faulty decisions, non-cooperation, and intentional stupidity. The text argues that when multiplied by thousands of individuals, these acts create a tangible drag on the enemy's war effort, wasting resources and demoralizing administrators. The guide provides specific instructions for damaging industrial targets. For tools, it suggests letting cutting blades grow dull, twisting saws until they break, and breaking files through improper use. For machinery, the manual details how to contaminate lubrication systems with grit, hair, or metal dust to scour surfaces and overheat motors. It advises clogging fuel tanks with sawdust, sugar, or rice to choke engines, and diluting gasoline with water or salt to prevent combustion. Electrical sabotage includes spilling dust on motor contacts, short-circuiting wires, and overloading rheostats to cause fires. Beyond physical assets, the manual outlines methods for disrupting communications. Operators are instructed to delay telegrams, garble messages by changing single letters, and interfere with radio reception by damaging insulation or blowing fuses. In offices, employees are told to delay calls, misfile documents, and make mistakes in copying orders. The text also addresses organizational interference, urging citizens to insist on bureaucratic channels, multiply paperwork, and advocate excessive caution to slow decision-making. Safety is a central theme; the manual advises saboteurs to choose targets where many could be responsible or to offer plausible excuses for accidents, such as pretending to be ignorant or over-cautious. It encourages a 'reverse thinking' mindset, where citizens intentionally act lazy or careless. Ultimately, the manual posits that success in these small acts fosters a sense of responsibility and identification with the Allied cause, transforming passive citizens into active participants in the war effort.

LLM editorial rating

4.2/5

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data/epubs/pg26184.epub

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Categories

• History
• Politics