Salutions from the shadows,
Last Thursday I released a premium Dead Drop article called “The enemy of my enemy” highlighting the consequences that the United States has historically faced from the failed notion that “The enemy of my enemy is my friend”. The article highlighted how the U.S. has a history of arming proxies to fight it's enemies only to later have those proxies turn against it.
A premium Spycrafter named
, who has proved himself pretty knowledgeable about geopolitics, made a comment about the Nixon policy of taking actions to drive a wedge between the Soviet Union and China. This policy, masterminded by Henry Kissinger, capitalized on the already fracturing diplomatic relations between the USSR and China. This thoughtful comment has inspired a follow up article, because we can learn a valuable lesson from it. In fact, this will be part two with a third piece coming this Thursday. Thanks Sam, you've truly sent me down a rabbit hole.While propping up an unpredictable proxy against an enemy is not always a good idea, there's another approach that often is: the Yojimbo technique.
The Yojimbo technique, named after Akira Kurosawa’s 1961 film "Yojimbo," involves manipulating two opposing forces into conflict while remaining above the fray.
In the film, a wandering Samurai saves a town plagued by two separate gangs. He manipulates the gangs into fighting each other, which weakens them to the point where they can easily be defeated.
In the realm of espionage, the Yojimbo technique can be employed to pit enemies against by providing enemies with selective information, exacerbating tensions and mistrust. This strategy allows the operative to benefit from the chaos without directly engaging in the conflict. To their credit, as hard on them as I have been lately, Western Intelligence agencies often leaked information to stir paranoia and infighting within enemy factions to great success during the Cold War.
For Spycrafters, the Yojimbo technique offers practical applications in both professional and social environments. In the workplace, instead of getting embroiled in office politics, one can stay neutral and subtly encourage rivals to focus on each other, thereby diverting attention away from oneself and leading to fanning conflicts that may benefit or eliminate threats to the neutral party.
However, it’s crucial to employ the Yojimbo technique subtly. The goal should not be to create unnecessary conflict or harm but to navigate existing tensions to one’s advantage while minimizing personal risk. This approach requires a deep understanding of the motivations and vulnerabilities of all parties involved, as well as the ability to remain impartial and observant.
Until next time, stay classy, stay covert, and leave a comment.
-P.J.
Thanks for the compliment!
But just to show that any plan can end up biting you in the arse, I think Nixon later regretted the move because it was the first step in awakening the sleeping giant that is now kicking our butt economically.