@ninurta, Being a PSYOPer for the last half of my career, music does play a important role in my memories. Songs take me back quite often, but I've never been bothered by them. Smells on the other hand do.
Often, we would play Heavy Metal during assaults like Fallujah. It instilled fear and anger into the insurgents and pumped our guys up. Most Iraqis do not like Rock & Roll and prefer Rap or local traditional music. Never met one who liked country music either.
In between the broadcasts seeking their surrender or some outright very nasty insults for the hard core ones, we rocked!
You'd be amazed at how easy it was to get insurgents so pissed off that they would literally charge out into the open and into our sights. They are a very emotional group. The more level headed ones however didn't let our broadcasts faze them. They were the dangerous ones.
Beware the man who has one gun, he probably knows how to use it.
@ninurta, Being a PSYOPer for the last half of my career, music does play a important role in my memories. Songs take me back quite often, but I've never been bothered by them. Smells on the other hand do.
Often, we would play Heavy Metal during assaults like Fallujah. It instilled fear and anger into the insurgents and pumped our guys up. Most Iraqis do not like Rock & Roll and prefer Rap or local traditional music. Never met one who liked country music either.
In between the broadcasts seeking their surrender or some outright very nasty insults for the hard core ones, we rocked!
You'd be amazed at how easy it was to get insurgents so pissed off that they would literally charge out into the open and into our sights. They are a very emotional group. The more level headed ones however didn't let our broadcasts faze them. They were the dangerous ones.
As they say, "music calms the savage breast". Paradoxically, perhaps, hair-slingin' nerve-janglin' heavy metal tends to CALM my nerves. I never said I was normal!
Some songs will bring a tear to my eye, some will just make me quiet and thoughtful, but just about all of it has some kind of effect.
Smells are one of the more powerful memory inducers. I think they've done studies on that. Some times, I reckon sight and smell can be linked. For example, I watched the video of the Jordanian pilot being burned alive, and I could smell it even though I wasn't actually there. There ain't no smell quite like that. It had a visceral effect.
Now, one of my most favorite tactics is to piss off the opposition to the point that they no longer think. It makes them easy targets - if you're ready for it. If not, they can steamroll you. If you ARE, it's like shooting fish in a barrel!
In a battle between rap and metal, the metal will take the field every time. Good thing the insurgents never figured that out!
I had a friend in on the assault of Fallujah. He was a Jarhead, in one of the recon elements, got too far ahead from what understand. Now, as I understand it, ISIS holds Fallujah. There ain't a mud hut there worth holding - they ought to level the place from the air, just because.
Last Edit: Feb 13, 2015 15:52:24 GMT -6 by Deleted
As far as Fallujah is concerned, they could and should bring every 'Buff and carpet bomb the place until nothing but rocks bounce. The place is a shit hole. Been there and done that. I wouldn't shed one single tear. I would bet even odds that most Iraqis wouldn't either, but rather breathe a sigh of relief.
Beware the man who has one gun, he probably knows how to use it.