psychological warfare

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psychological warfare (uncountable)

1. (idiomatic) A mentally manipulative approach to warfare involving use of techniques to demoralize or intimidate someone into surrender.
   • 1989 June 21 [1989 June 19], “Premier Li Huan Visits Kinmen Island 18 Jun”, in Daily Report: China‎, numbers 81-118, Foreign Broadcast Information Service, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 81, column 2:

     Li also inspected a psychological warfare unit at Huchingtou, Liehyu, where he saw off a balloon carrying materials showing the free bastion of Taiwan's warm support for the pro-democracy movement on the China mainland.

   • 1996 March 15, Michael Evans, “China offensive cannot be ruled out, experts say”, in The Times‎, number 65,528, →ISSN, →OCLC, Overseas News, page 14, column 3:

     The intelligence services believe it is more likely the Chinese would use psychological warfare to give the impression they were about to seize one of the islands, rather than carry it out. However, if there was pressure within the Chinese military to achieve at least a token military success against Taiwan, this option could not be dismissed.

2. (by extension) Mind games.
   • 1976 December 11, Thom Willenbecher, “Tilden Re-Crucified”, in Gay Community News, volume 4, number 24, page 14:

     Bill Tilden invented tennis as we now know it. He changed it from the gentlemanly pastime of the 1920s into a professional sporct involving stars, strategies and large amounts of money, from a dull and predictable game into a tactical enterprise involving strategy and psychological warfare, net shots, scoops and lobs, all calculated to throw opponents off balance.

• war of nerves