Gray Zone Movies and Shows

[Bill Moore]

I know there are other shows and movies from the Cold War era that depict advanced use of statecraft to achieve political objectives using coercion, while staying below the line that prompts a conventional military response, but I thought it best to start with a series that more closely reflects the current international order. The Netflix series is occupied is a good one to start with.

I'm more than half way through a Netflix series (10 episodes total, not sure if there will be another series) called Occupied, which is about a silk glove invasion and occupation of Norway by Russia to gain access their oil. While the overall scenario seems improbable in this case, since the EU is in cahoots with Russia to some degree, the Gray Zone strategy and hybrid warfare tactics are right out of our current events. The growing resistance emerging also does a good job of depicting the use of social media, and how people perceptions change over time.

Yes most of it is Norwegian, while some parts are in English, but the English sub titles are easy to read.

https://www.reddit.com/r/netflix/comments/42d7tc/occupied_a_political_thriller_portraying_an/

https://www.netflix.com/title/80092654

[AfghanWarNews]

"Occupied", even with the English subtitles, is worth checking out on Netflix. I am halfway through the series and will definitely see to the end. Hoping there is a second season. Kind makes me think how the Russians (no strangers to "Gray Zone" activities) would attempt a "soft takeover" of the former Soviet republics of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia. AWN.

[Bill Moore]

I watched all the episodes and hope there is another season. I encourage those that watch, especially U.S. military personnel unfamiliar with gray zone strategies and Russia's non linear warfare to identify how this strategy could have countered. I think it will become apparent that early phase of this invasion the role of the military would be very limited.

[Windows97]

More! Have been watching this on UK television. Absolutely brilliant. The use of pseudo-operations by the Russians, their ability to illicit knee jerk reactions from the Norwegians that play into their overall strategy (the resistance/terrorists), soft power (in this case exemplofied by Russian patronage of a restaurent in more ways than one), the diplomatic machinations and the role of the media. Seriously good if slightly far fetched stuff. Also, the collaborationist narrative is fascinating given I don't recall if Quisling's name was ever mentioned. As for it being specifically interesting as an exploration of Russian "grey zone" strategies I think, if you read enough history, it applies to most powers (the US has done its own fair share of Grey Zone operations especially during the cold war for instance, as have British in olden times, and as are the Chinese in the East).

[Bill Moore]

More! Have been watching this on UK television. Absolutely brilliant. The use of pseudo-operations by the Russians, their ability to illicit knee jerk reactions from the Norwegians that play into their overall strategy (the resistance/terrorists), soft power (in this case exemplofied by Russian patronage of a restaurent in more ways than one), the diplomatic machinations and the role of the media. Seriously good if slightly far fetched stuff. Also, the collaborationist narrative is fascinating given I don't recall if Quisling's name was ever mentioned. As for it being specifically interesting as an exploration of Russian "grey zone" strategies I think, if you read enough history, it applies to most powers (the US has done its own fair share of Grey Zone operations especially during the cold war for instance, as have British in olden times, and as are the Chinese in the East).

True, the U.S. is and has been a gray zone actor, but IMO this series captured the state of the art gray zone 21st century tools and strategy. Arguably the U.S. has gotten a little rusty in this spectrum of competition, especially when it comes to a coordinated effort between the different agencies.

[Bob's World]

The US has become too much a slave of our own rhetoric to be very effective in the gray zone today. Our belief in American Exceptionalism, and how good intentions and working within the law to violate the sovereignty of another will somehow make us exempt from the laws of human nature in regards to the resistance and revolutionary insurgency such actions naturally provoke. Sure, if someone "evil" or "aggressive " or "malign" does it - but not if we do...

Adding this series to my watch list.

[Windows97]

...I am reminded of a classic British TV series called The Sandbaggers (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Sandbaggers). The opening episode revolves around a downed Norwegian spy plane somewhere near the Kola peninsula. Well worth it if you have the time enjoy a good spy romp into mirkier waters. There is a nice sub ploy involving weapons development that mirrors today's F-35 imbroglio too. Thankfully, YouTube seems to have the entire three series run of the show should you acquire a taste for it. Enjoy

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=iXAXn3gfdI0



Personally, I was also quite a fan of the slow burning conspiracy series Rubicon (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rubicon_(TV_series)) before I discovered, much to my chagrin, that the US producer had cancelled it. Apparently it was too "cerebral" for American audiences ;)

[Bill Moore]

Second season of Occupied is out on Netflix, it is only 8 episodes this season, and in my opinion not as good as the first season. Still worth watching.