Records of the U.S. Information Agency Part 1: Cold War Era Special Reports Series A: 1953-1963
Part 1: Cold War Era Special Reports, Series A: 1953–1963 covers the administrations of Presidents Eisenhower and John F. Kennedy. The U.S. Information Agency (USIA) used these special reports to inform the president, the secretary of state, and other foreign policy leaders about international events as well as foreign public opinion of the United States.
USIA’s main concern was to promote the U.S. position in the world vis-à-vis the Soviet Union. Readers will find frequent references to the “free world” and Soviet “satellites,” referring to the Eastern European countries that were aligned with the Soviet Union. Even the space programs of the two superpowers became inextricably tied up with the race for overall supremacy.(18 reels)
FINDING AID: Records of the U.S. Information Agency, Part 1: Cold War Era Special Reports, Series A: 1953-1963
Records of the U.S. Information Agency Part 2: Cold War Era Special Reports Series B: 1964-1982
As the collection title suggests, the cold war provides the backdrop for many of these documents. One of USIA’s concerns in this collection was to promote the U.S. position in the world vis-à-vis that of the Soviet Union (USSR) and the People’s Republic of China (PRC, or Communist China). To this end, the agency undertook many polls to ascertain how the United States fared in world public opinion relative to the two Communist powers. These polls include “Soviets Edge Ahead of U.S. in Indian Esteem”“Comparative Standing of U.S.-USSR-PRC in Japanese Public Opinion Prior to Moscow Visit [of Richard M. Nixon]” ; “Trends and Structure of Foreign Attitudes toward the U.S. and the USSR” and “Expectations of U.S., USSR and China World Power in 1977.” (22 reels)
FINDING AID: Records of the U.S. Information Agency, Part 1: Cold War Era Special Reports, Series B: 1964-1982
Records of the U.S. Information Agency Part 3: Cold War Era Research Reports Series A: 1960-1963
The collection consists primarily of a number of recurring document types. These documents fall into three main categories: reviews of print and broadcast media in Communist, “free world,” and developing areas; analyses of Communist propaganda activities; and world reactions to major events and speeches. In addition, the collection contains many special analyses that appear just once. For example, these reports include analyses of Communist sociology, Japan’s improving image in Southeast Asia, and Bulgaria’s campaign against Western cultural influences. (15 reels)
FINDING AID: Records of the U.S. Information Agency, Part 3: Cold War Era Research Reports, Series A: 1960-1963
U.S. Information Agency Country Plans, Western Europe, 1958-1973
USIA Country Plans for 15 Western European countries: Austria, Belgium, Britain, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, and Sweden. Microfilmed from the National Archives, Record Group 306 USIA 1951-1963 (1 reel).
FINDING AID: U.S. Information Agency Country Plans