How did federal agents try to pressure the Branch Davidians during the standoff?

During the 51-day Waco siege, federal agents employed several psychological and tactical strategies to pressure the Branch Davidians into surrendering:

• Psychological Warfare: Agents attempted to disrupt the group's daily life and sleep patterns by playing loud Tibetan chants over loudspeakers and shining bright spotlights on the compound at night.1
• Resource Restriction: Authorities cut off the compound's electricity.1
• Surveillance: In an attempt to monitor the group, agents delivered supplies, such as milk, in cartons equipped with listening devices.1
• Negotiation: FBI hostage negotiators maintained contact with David Koresh, who often engaged in religious rhetoric and stalled by making conditional surrender offers that he ultimately failed to honor.1

These efforts were intended to force a peaceful resolution, but as negotiations stalled and authorities became convinced Koresh would not surrender, the situation escalated into a final raid involving tear gas and armored vehicles.12