Propaganda 🌺 Flashcards
What was culture used as, and what cultural centres were present ? What did CD Jackson claim? What was culture also used to protest? How did the USSR advance their position as modern compared to the US? How did people react to propaganda?
America Hauser - West Germany
Bolshoi Theatre - Russia
CD Jackson, Eisenhower’s assistant: reflected idealism.
Culture used for dissent, and USSR made claims to modernity and culture over that of the US.
Propaganda strategists were concerned. In the 1960s-70s people protested.
What was set up in 1923 alongside the VOKs? What had been destroyed by purges and ended? Where was propaganda controlled? Where was VOKs set in the Ministry of Common Affairs? When was VOKs replaced with SSODS? What did the KGB do? When was Novosti established?
1923 - International Book Company set up by the USSR.
All-Union Association for Cultural Relations set up.
Moscow’s Department of Propaganda and Agitation was established.
By 1956 Khrushchev established cultural offensives across the world.
The KGB subsidised friendly newspapers in foreign countries to distribute misinformation and in 1961 Novosti was set up by Moscow.
Who helped launch Peace and Progress? What examples of propaganda did the Russians produce? What successes in space and technology did they have and what did the KGB do when the reactions were weak? What value did the USSR want to project and what did they accuse Americans of? How did popularity of their exhibitions compare to Americans?
Peace and Progress - set up by Soviet writers and composers, supposed to be independent of the government.
Russians established literature, films, and ballet which failed to show the miserable state of the USSR.
A film was produced called the Cranes are Flying, Mikhail Kalazatov.
1961 - first manned flight.
KGB paid people to act impressed with the flight.
Radio Moscow supported African nationalists.
Very few attended the New York Soviet expeditions in the 50s but many visited the American Expedition in Moscow.
What was the Smith Mundt act? What did the CIA do? When was the USIA set up and what actions did they complete? How did the US refer to their propaganda? What attitudes did they fight? Who disliked their actions?
Smith Mundt Act - allows US propaganda.
Radio Free Europe set by CIA and Radio Liberty with exile broadcasters in East Europe.
The United States Information Agency, set by Eisenhower, taught English, had jazz tours, and promoted civil rights movement.
The US called their actions public diplomacy and fought stereotypes of lax morals.
Associated Press disproved of control of the news and went against Voice of America.
Describe the cult following of leaders such as Rakosi in Hungary, Stalin, Hoxha, and Ceausescu.
Hungary - Matyas Rakosi has cult personality, with April 4th Day of Liberation and 1 May Celebration of Heroes Square.
Stalin had next level deification. Had religious icons made.
Ceausescu and Hoxha also cult personalities.
Summarise the Slansky trial and the Doctors Plot…
Slansky Trial, Czechoslovakia, ousts Gomulka and Slansky, with 14 people, 11 Jewish, on trial for Zionism. They were accused cosmopolitans with a year of torture. Three survivors were Jewish.
Doctors Plot - Stalin claimed 9 doctors of Kremlin polyclinic were conspiring to kill Soviet leaders such as Zhdanov, on 13 January 1953. Jewish community feared mass deportations, but trial didn’t happen as Stalin died.
What was done on August 1949 and why were Americans fearful?
August 1949 - The Soviets test a highly powerful atomic bomb.
The US were fearful as the Soviets could use this to neutralise their attempts at unifying Germany, maintaining peace in the Middle East, stopping Mao from supporting Ho’s Communists in Vietnam, and sign a peace treaty with Japan.
Summarise the US’s actions from physical action to Paul Nitze’s actions on request of Acheson in response to the USSR’s atom bomb…
Hydrogen bomb more powerful had to be developed.
Paul Nitze was asked by Acheson to write NSC 68, and claimed Soviet Union would have motivation to take over world.
Needed US to have adequate military strength of maintain containment, and reduce power of USSR.
When did Truman embrace the suggestions of NSC 68 ? Who did he know would critique him?
Truman embraced this in May 1950, not telling of the cost. He knew Republican opponents would criticise, such as Joe McCarthy, who claimed he did not stop China from succumbing to Communism. The US had weighed this decision up but decided it would be too costly and too improbable that it was not worth it.
