Deception

Deception attempts to create a fake picture of reality in the mind of the enemy. This is accomplished using false information, demonstration attacks, diversions, dummy means and works, etc. Camouflage and concealment are two means used to deceive the enemy. When the term deception is used in this paper it includes camouflage and concealment. 

States tend to use deception for different reasons. Strong nations use deception to achieve victory easier and with fewer losses while weaker nations use deception to make up for their lack of strength and means. (25,92)

 Effective deception will cause the adversary to waste his resources, to spread his forces thinly, to vacate or reduce the strength of his forces at the decisive point of attack, to tie considerable forces up at the wrong place at the worst time; it will divert his attention from critical to trivial areas of Interest, numb his alertness arid reduce his readiness, increase his confusion, and reduce his certainty. In short, reducing the cost for the deceiver implies Increasing the cost for the deceived. (8,143)

 [Emphasis in original] Deception is either active or passive. Passive deception re]l es on secrecy and camouflage to hide our capabilities and/or intentions from the enemy. Active deception is normally a planned series of lies with evidence to prove them to the enemy. (8,133-134) 

There are three basic types of deception. The first type attempts to cause the enemy to focus his attention on the wrong place. The Allies used this type of deception to convince the Germans that the Normandy invasion would really take place at Pas de Calais. The second type tries to make the enemy waste his resources (time, ammunition, weapons, manpower, fuel) in unimportant directions or on dummy targets. During the Battle of Britain, the British set up phony targets and interfered with the German's navigational aids causing therm to attack non-existent airfields and factories. The third type of deception is used to surprise the opponent and catch him unprepared for action. (8,124-125)

Surprising the enemy has always been regarded as an integral part of the art of war.(25,92) According to the military strategist Carl von Clausewitz, "Surprise is more or less at the bottom of all military enterprises." Surprise is the "product of speed and secrecy." The enemy must not learn your real intentions until it is too late to react effectively. (17,100)