Simple Sabotage Field Manual

"For example, what benefit do you gain from polluting your own water supply?" asks a reviewer. None really, that's probably why this isn't mentioned in this book.

It's probably also forgiveable that it doesn't mention video surveillance given that it was written in 1944.

Anyway, since neither of the other reviewers seem to have actually read this pamphlet before reviewing it I thought I'd give it a go. This is an interesting historical document but it's advice ranges from the mildly plausible (using coins to blow fuses) to the absolutely ridiculous (remove toilet paper from lavatories!).

The reason this is interesting is that most of these acts of sabotage existed only in the paranoid minds of secret service types on both sides of the war. There's very little evidence that small scale sabotage of this kind was widespread mainly because the punishments were so severe if caught and the actual effect would be so negligible to the war effort. Despite this the USA was especially fearful of the hidden saboteur and many a clumsy or inept worker was interviewed as a potential spy.

It's great that documents like this are being preserved though I think it's unlikely to be of interest to anyone but historians and perhaps the most disgruntled of employees.

Predicting new titles that Greg Homer will tackle with his unique breed of comedy is getting too easy; I called this one yesterday. Homerfodder. We need a new nom du keyboard, someone with a higher vision of comedy. And someone who, I daresay, really leaves when he says he is going to. ;-)

Anyway, I read the book. It has the basic saboteur's info, but it also contains material on how to manipulate people into conducting sabotage for you.

If you ever read Gimpel's "Agent 146", the story of a German spy in America during WWII, you'll start to understand that the front-line spies and saboteurs lead a uniquely depressing lifestyle. As a spy/saboteur, your superiors don't really care about what happens to you, you can't really trust anyone, and you have to convert your mind away from the constructive/creative mode that most aspire to.

As this book (inadvertently) shows, a saboteur is not some creative Robin Hood type so much as someone who fell prey to brainwashing and ended up as a thug doing their runner's bidding.

For example, what benefit do you gain from polluting your own water supply? Here you may be part of a resistance movement supporting a cause kept at bay hundreds of miles away from your location. What good does it do to potentially kill your friends and family while you wait for help?

The most critical thing to do if you find yourself surrounded by the enemy: Get Out. Don't stay and turn yourself into an anti-worker who dreams of comeuppance.

Finally, this book is dated in terms of technology and does not take into account video/audio/physical surveillance.

I know all this from experience; I served as commissar in a very backwards country during the Cold War.

In a computer game.

During World War II this field manual, they say, was as important as any other factor in our victory over the evil Nazis. Each American and British soldier was given a copy during basic training and was instructed to read it..'cover to cover'.

Some of the simple sabotage techniques:

*Spray cat urine into enemy vehicles
*Release crickets into enemy sleeping quarters
*Extend downward the sides of Hitler's moustache on posters and give him glasses
*Make German potato salad, leave it unrefrigerated for 2 or 3 days, then send to Nazi headquarters with a card saying 'Enjoy!'
*From Sears and Roebuck catalogue, order stylish bra and panty outfits and request delivery to 'Mr. A. Hitler'.