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ABSTRACT:

General Sun tzu said ”All warfare is based on deception.” This quote acknowledges the importance of deception in warfare. History is filled with examples of deceit and deception in war. But what is it that makes a deceptive operation successful?

This thesis is a single case study and the purpose is to recognize the key factors for success in a deceptive operation, by analyse of a deceptive operation during the second world war named Mincemeat. It is of great importance to know the methods and principles behind deception. First of all it may provide helpful knowledge for planning of such operations. It might also decrease the risk of being misled by your enemy.

The choice of operation Mincemeat is based on the fact that it is known to be one of the most spectacular and successful deceptive operations. Instruments for evaluation have been two theories about deception, Dewar’s six principles and Bell & Whaley’s theory of cheating. With these two theories the study resulted in six key factors, which made the operation a success.