Robert Alexis McClure was an American general and psychological warfare

Psychological warfare

Psychological warfare , or the basic aspects of modern psychological operations , have been known by many other names or terms, including Psy Ops, Political Warfare, “Hearts and Minds,” and Propaganda...

 specialist.

Born in Mattoon, Illinois

Mattoon, Illinois

Mattoon is a city in Coles County, Illinois, United States. The population was 18,555 as of the 2010 census. It is a principal city of the Charleston–Mattoon Micropolitan Statistical Area.Mattoon was the site of the "Mad Gasser" attacks of the 1940s....

, he graduated from the Kentucky Military Institute

Kentucky Military Institute

The Kentucky Military Institute was a military preparatory school in Lyndon, Kentucky and Venice, Florida, in operation from 1845 to 1971....

 in 1915. He initially joined the Philippine Constabulary

Philippine Constabulary

The Philippine Constabulary ' was the oldest of four service commands of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. It was a gendarmerie type para-military police force of the Philippines established in 1901 by the United States-appointed administrative authority replacing the Guardia Civil...

 before joining the regular army in 1917.

In 1941 he served as military attaché to the American Embassy in London before being appointed by Dwight D. Eisenhower

Dwight D. Eisenhower

Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower was the 34th President of the United States, from 1953 until 1961. He was a five-star general in the United States Army...

 to chief of intelligence for the European theater of operation in 1942. Eisenhower next placed him in charge of the Allied Forces Information and Censorship Section which was responsible for the operation of twelve radio stations as well as the censorship of troop mails and cables.

McClure was appointed director of the newly created Psychological Warfare Division

Psychological Warfare Division

The Psychological Warfare Division of SHAEF was a joint Anglo-American organisation set-up in World War II tasked with conducting principally 'white' tactical psychological warfare against German troops in North-west Europe during and after D-Day. It was headed by US Brigadier-General Robert A...

 of SHAEF

Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force

Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force , was the headquarters of the Commander of Allied forces in north west Europe, from late 1943 until the end of World War II. U.S. General Dwight D. Eisenhower was in command of SHAEF throughout its existence...

 in 1944. With the end of the war in Europe he was responsible for the Information Control Division

Information Control Division

The Information Control Division was a department of the U.S. Army during the early period of American occupation of Germany after World War II. Founded in 1945, it operated in the American occupation zone The Information Control Division was a department of the U.S. Army during the early period of...

 which controlled broadcasting and newspapers in Germany during the early stage of the occupation.

After the invasion of Korea in 1950, beginning the Korean War

Korean War

The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...

, the Office of the Chief of Psychological Warfare was formed in Washington, D.C., headed by McClure. During his tenure, the Psychological Warfare Center was established at Fort Bragg, North Carolina

Fort Bragg, North Carolina

Fort Bragg is a major United States Army installation, in Cumberland and Hoke counties, North Carolina, U.S., mostly in Fayetteville but also partly in the town of Spring Lake. It was also a census-designated place in the 2010 census and had a population of 39,457. The fort is named for Confederate...

 which centralized the newly formed Psychological Warfare School and 10th Special Forces Group

10th Special Forces Group (United States)

The 10th Special Forces Group is an Active Duty United States Army Special Forces group. The 10th Special Forces Group is responsible for operations within the EUCOM area of responsibility, as part of the Special Operations Command, Europe , as well as parts of Africa and the Middle East.10th SFG...

 at a single location.

In 1953, McClure was assigned to Iran as chief of the U.S. Military Mission where he formed a close relationship with the Shah

Mohammad Reza Pahlavi

Mohammad Rezā Shāh Pahlavi, Shah of Iran, Shah of Persia , ruled Iran from 16 September 1941 until his overthrow by the Iranian Revolution on 11 February 1979...

.

He retired from the Army in 1956.

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