Political gain operation

Political gain operations or PGOs were terror tactics used by the Galactic Empire on worlds where local support wavered between the Empire and the Rebel Alliance. Special Imperial Army squads would engage in terrorist activities, causing the local populace to appeal to the governor for help. Imperial reinforcements would arrive and arrest all known or suspected Rebels, at which point the attacks would cease, making the locals believed that the Empire had saved them from Rebel terrorists.

Text and facts from the “Political gain operation” article on Wookieepedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0. Modified for this site.