Resisting oppression
Public Domain, Declassified Guides
I have noticed that there has been many folks are interested in gathering and researching de-classified, public domain, guides and manuals on political resistance, urban sabotage, cyber sabotage, etc.
By way of full disclosure, I did nothing fancy to obtain this little list. I have to admit that I am thoroughly amazed at the number, the level of detail, and breadth of subject matter freely available.
Image by MissKarin from Pixabay
I have grouped materials by a few topic areas. I’m certain you will discover a significant overlap across the topics and publications. I have made no attempt to prioritze these.
It is true, all of the below links lead you to declassified and historical government documents; all freely available and in the public domain.
I hope you find the materials educational, informative, and comforting. Here are the resources I unearthed on the net. Enjoy:
CIA and Intelligence Community Documents (Libraries)
🔗 CIA’s FOIA Electronic Reading Room – The CIA regularly declassifies documents and makes them available.
🔗 National Security Archive – A nonprofit group that compiles declassified U.S. government documents on intelligence, diplomacy, and military operations.
🔗 NSA Declassified Documents – The National Security Agency also releases historical records.
Military and Strategy Documents
🔗 U.S. Army Field Manuals (FM) – Many of these are in the public domain, including psychological warfare and guerrilla tactics.
🔗 Special Operations Forces (SOF) Manuals – Declassified guides on unconventional warfare.
World War II and Cold War Sabotage Manuals
🔗 FBI Vault – The FBI has released files on espionage, counterintelligence, and historical figures.
🔗 Church Committee Reports (1970s CIA & FBI abuses) – Details covert operations and sabotage efforts.
🔗 OSS Simple Sabotage Field Manual (1944) – This manual, created by the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), the CIA's predecessor, details how ordinary citizens can disrupt enemy operations with small acts of sabotage.
🔗 FM 31-21: Guerrilla Warfare and Special Forces Operations (1961) - A U.S. Army manual covering sabotage, subversion, and unconventional warfare tactics.
🔗 FM 31-20: Special Forces Operational Techniques (1965) - Details clandestine operations, sabotage, and working with resistance groups.
CIA and U.S. Government Sabotage & Psychological Warfare Docs
🔗 CIA Psychological Operations in Guerrilla Warfare (1983) - A guide allegedly written for Contra rebels in Nicaragua, covering propaganda and small-scale sabotage.
🔗 US Army FM 3-05.130: Army Special Operations Forces Unconventional Warfare (2008) - Covers modern sabotage, psychological warfare, and resistance movements.
🔗 CIA Manual for Interference in Chile (1970s) - Declassified documents detailing U.S. involvement in Chile, including economic sabotage and propaganda efforts.
Cyber Sabotage
🔗 Declassified and Government Reports on Cyber Sabotage - NSA's Cyber Warfare and Sabotage Capabilities (Edward Snowden Leaks)
🔗 US Army FM 3-12: Cyber and Electromagnetic Warfare (2017) - Official military doctrine on using cyber warfare for disruption and sabotage.
🔗 Cyber Operations: Joint Publication 3-12 (2023) - The Department of Defense’s official guide to cyber warfare and digital sabotage.
🔗 Stuxnet and Industrial Cyber Sabotage (2010) - The Stuxnet virus, reportedly developed by the U.S. and Israel, was one of the most famous cyber sabotage operations, targeting Iran’s nuclear program.
🔗 Hacking & Cyber Sabotage Techniques (Public Domain Books & Manuals) - The Hacker’s Handbook (1985, Hugo Cornwall); One of the earliest books on hacking, including methods to disrupt computer systems.
🔗 Hacking Exposed Series (Various Authors, Publicly Available Editions) - Covers penetration testing, network intrusion, and system sabotage techniques.
🔗 Metasploit: The Penetration Tester’s Guide (2011) - Explains using the Metasploit framework for cyber exploitation and system disruption.
🔗 Anarchist Cookbook (1971, William Powell) – Cyber Sabotage Section: Some editions contain early hacking and telephone phreaking techniques, though much is outdated.
Cyber Warfare Case Studies and Analysis
🔗 The Russian Cyber Attack on Estonia (2007) - A state-sponsored cyberattack that disrupted Estonia’s banking, media, and government. 🔗
🔗 China’s Cyber Sabotage Tactics – PLA Unit 61398 (Mandiant Report): A report detailing China's state-sponsored hacking efforts.
🔗 North Korea’s Cyber Warfare Strategy - Analysis of how North Korea uses cyberattacks to disrupt financial and industrial targets.
Urban sabotage
🔗 FM 31-21: Guerrilla Warfare and Special Forces Operations (1961) - Covers urban sabotage tactics, including disabling transportation, utilities, and communication networks.
🔗 FM 3-05.130: Army Special Operations Forces Unconventional Warfare (2008) - Modern doctrine on irregular warfare, focusing on urban environments and sabotage techniques.
🔗 CIA “Human Factors in Underground Insurgency” (1966) - Explores the psychology of urban resistance groups and how sabotage operations are executed in cities.
🔗 TC 18-01: Special Forces Unconventional Warfare (2010) - U.S. Army guide on guerrilla operations, urban sabotage, and resistance networks.
🔗 Historical Sabotage & Resistance Handbooks - OSS Sabotage Manual (1944): Simple, low-tech sabotage techniques used in occupied Europe during WWII, including transportation and industrial sabotage.
🔗 The Partisan’s Companion (Soviet Guerrilla Warfare, 1942) - A Red Army manual on disrupting enemy-controlled urban areas.
🔗 The Mini-manual of the Urban Guerrilla (Carlos Marighella, 1969) - Written by a Brazilian revolutionary, it details urban sabotage techniques used by guerrilla fighters.
🔗 How to Start a Riot – CIA Declassified Guide (1960s) - Details on how the CIA has historically incited protests and civil unrest to destabilize governments.
🔗 Urban Sabotage Case Studies & Operations - French Resistance Sabotage in Nazi-Occupied France (1940s): Methods used by the French Resistance to sabotage Nazi supply lines, transportation, and communications.
🔗 The IRA’s Sabotage & Bombing Tactics (1960s–1990s) - A study on how the Irish Republican Army conducted urban sabotage against British forces.
🔗 Operation Gladio: NATO’s Secret Stay-Behind Sabotage Networks - A Cold War-era program that trained saboteurs to disrupt Soviet occupation in Western Europe.
Resistance movements
🔗 FM 3-05.130: Army Special Operations Forces Unconventional Warfare (2008) - Covers modern unconventional warfare, focusing on resistance movements, insurgency tactics, and sabotage.
🔗 TC 18-01: Special Forces Unconventional Warfare (2010) - U.S. Army guide to working with resistance movements, including clandestine operations and subversion.
🔗 OSS Sabotage & Resistance Manual (1944) - A World War II-era manual detailing sabotage and resistance techniques used by the Office of Strategic Services.
🔗 CIA Manual on Guerrilla Warfare (1983) - Written for U.S.-backed resistance movements during the Cold War, outlining propaganda, sabotage, and guerrilla strategies.
Historical Case Studies of Resistance Movements
🔗 French Resistance During World War II (1940s) - Methods used to sabotage German occupation, including blowing up bridges, disrupting supply lines, and assassinating collaborators.
🔗 The Partisan’s Companion (Soviet Guerrilla Warfare, 1942) - A Red Army manual on resistance fighting against Nazi forces.
🔗 The IRA and Urban Resistance (1960s–1990s) - The Irish Republican Army’s tactics for guerrilla warfare, including bombings, propaganda, and sabotage.
🔗 The Warsaw Ghetto Uprising (1943) - How Jewish resistance fighters in Nazi-occupied Poland used guerrilla tactics to fight back.
🔗 The Taliban’s Guerrilla Warfare Strategies (Post-2001) - A breakdown of how the Taliban has used insurgency tactics against NATO forces.
🔗 The Syrian Civil War and Rebel Warfare (2011–Present) - Examines how resistance groups use urban warfare, cyber sabotage, and asymmetric tactics.
🔗 Hong Kong Protest Movement and Digital Resistance (2019–2020) - How activists used encrypted messaging, flash mobs, and digital disruption against government forces.
Other Notable Resources
🔗 The Art of War by Sun Tzu – Ancient but still relevant, discussing deception and disruption.
🔗 KUBARK Counterintelligence Interrogation Manual (1963, CIA) - A controversial document on interrogation and psychological tactics, including subversive methods.
What I present here is but the tip of the iceberg. If you are seeking something specific, I recommend to use an AI tool, like ChatGPT, to help identify information that might be better suited to your objectives.