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Public Domain, Declassified Guides

Caution!
The document links in this message seem to be disappearing. A significant number of those that were housed at NSA, CIA, Archive.org have disappeared. I will try to capture documents for safe keeping as well. If you have interest in a particular article/ document, please download it for ‘safe-keeping’ as soon as you are able. Should you discover a broken link, let me know and I will repair what I am able.

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: A Theory of Collective Action
• Urban Sabotage Case Studies & Operations – Urban Warfare Study: City Case Studies Compilation.
• 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: Deadly Techniques of Soviet Freedom Fights During World War II – Paladn Press
• 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 – Examines how resistance groups use urban warfare, cyber sabotage, and asymmetric tactics.
• Hong Kong Unraveled: Social Media and the 2019 Protest Movement – 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.