Chart shows USIA information endeavors to send information behind the "Iron Curtain," including libraries, films, newspapers, and broadcasts involved in anti-Communist propaganda during the Cold War. Other charts cite cooperation with private enterprise, including 750 groups, such as businesses, schools, etc. Illustration shows letters written by Americans to family and friends abroad that can inform them of the truth. Town and city affiliation program is shown, with the example of Montclair, New Jersey, in the United States, and its relationship with Graz, Austria. The Mayor of Graz is seen being honored at a dinner in Montclair. Chart illustrates program of salvaging and sending American magazines abroad.
Opening scenes show radio studio announcers in different countries and in different languages sharing news updates as they speak into microphones. Photographers and camera men shoot a news conference featuring President Eisenhower. President Dwight D Eisenhower speaks whle newsmen, journalists, and reporters disperse quickly from the room and telephone their notes and papers to publish the story. An official exits a taxi cab car and enters the USIS building at 1776 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington DC. View of door of Office of Director of USIA. '423' and 'Theodore C. Streibert' written on nameplate of office of director of USIA. Narrator describes the people there as working to "reinforce truth against distortion and the big lie." Director Streibert talks on the telephone and sits for a meeting in his office and talks about overseas posts. Map on wall.
United States Information Agency (USIA) radio operators operate radio studio controls and set frequencies for transmission and receiving. USIA staff work on gathering additional facts, with newsroom reporters and editors in a press room typing and working on stories, a woman editing motion pictures, typing, printing at USIA. Exterior view of headquarters building of United States Information Service or USIS. People enter and exit the building of USIS. Members of a Citizens Committee and Director Streibert enter into a room. Map of world in room. Citizens seated on sofa. Director Streibert explains U.S.I.A. mission to a citizens' committee and talks about America's history and involvement in the world. One Citizen Committee member smokes a pipe. The Director shows a chart of how "communist propaganda is spread by a vast worldwide machine." Director Streibert explains (via anti-communist propaganda, or reverse propaganda...during Cold War) its mechanism and control exerted via the presidium of the Soviet communist party. View of Soviet Union leaders watching a military parade in Red Square, Moscow, Russia. Khrushchev is among the leaders. Next scenes show Communist rallies and speakers in Korea and then in China. At the Chinese rally, a scene of unrest unfolds as a group filling a large truck enters a rally, jumps down, and inflames the crowd. Communist leader Khrushchev with other Soviet officials debarks an airplane and meets leaders in India. He waves at a welcoming crowd during a visit. View of piles of Motion picture canisters ,magazines, pamphlets and books distributed as propaganda by Soviet Union. High production quality of paper shown. Industrial equipment and industrial farming equipment is displayed in a large exhibit hall for visiting foreign governments and dignitaries to view and consider investment. The Director states that long term Communist goals are world domination, and short term goals include the encouragement of neutralism, dividing and confusing American allies, and isolation of the United States. Director Streibert explains how the USIS works together with the Department of State to communicate American information. He ends the explanation by giving the USIA campaign pamphlets "Atoms for Peace" and "Atomic Power for Peace" ( The Eisenhower plan) to citizens of committee as example of a communication.
President Eisenhower of the United States addresses United Nations on December 8, 1953 about atomic bomb and atomic weapon dilemma in the nuclear age (part of Atoms for Peace initiative). Operators in radio transmission control rooms note down readings. View of time clocks of various places in the world including Honolulu, New York, London, Moscow, Calcutta, Bangkok and Tokyo displayed. The Voice of America broadcasts program in different languages by announcers. Scene of a family sitting in a living room as they listen to the president's speech on a console radio. People work at typing, printing, and translating the speech. USIA motion pictures service prepare newsreel of president's speech. A man views air mail of USIA films. Exterior views of several different United States embassy buildings worldwide. A guard standing outside the building. A Public Affairs Officer at the U.S. embassy in Japan, in Tokyo, meets with U.S. Ambassador to Japan Robert Murphy. USIA members seated around table for meeting, and, in Washington DC, creating publications about the Atoms for Peace program. People seated in a USIA library in Brazil read books and various USIA materials. Architects design 30 foot high Atoms for Peace exhibits. An exhibit being setup in a foreign country (possibly in North Africa). Exterior and interior views of the West Berlin, Germany Atoms for Peace exhibit. Prime Minister Jawahar Lal Nehru in India is seen arriving in a jeep to view the Atoms for Peace exhibit in India. Prime Minister Nehru inside the exhibit hall watching a presentation. In Japan, a woman operates remote-controlled robotic hands to hold radioactive materials, at a demonstration for Japanese citizens. In a city in Italy, a view of a mobile van unit carrying an Atoms for Peace exhibit. Scenes from a film "A is for Atom" that was translated into 30 languages and shown all over the world. Wide view of the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, Soviet Union. A Russian radio commentator speaking at a microphone. Propaganda dramatization showing the Russian announcer attacking American plans for Atoms for Peace.
Worlwide activities of the U.S. Information Agency. Four men in a bar in Italy. Narrator refers to European apprehension right after the war about America and the atom. The Italian men are polled and now understand about peaceful uses of atomic energy. Maps showing 200 U.S. Information Agency posts in 80 countries. An "Amerika Haus"in a major German city. Germans enter and peruse books and newspapers. An "Amerika Hause" book mobile (autobucherei) drives into a German village. Local people enter and browse the bookshelves. A boy selects a book entitled "Christoph Kolumbus" (Christopher Columbus). A german policeman perusing a book. A man walking out with several books. A discussion group, under auspices of USIA, gathered around a table. A concert with orchestra and chorus (Conductor appears to be Wilhelm Furtwängler, of the Berlin Philharmonic, who died in 1954, so this is likely a shot from 1953-1954 range). A sign on building in Berlin reads: "RIAS" (Radio in American Sector). A German speaking radio announcer in RIAS broadcasting. People visiting the "Family of Man" exhibit which originated in the Museum of Modern Art in New York City and shown in 37 countries abroad, under USIA sponsorship.
A man (implied by narrator to be a Communist) speaks to large crowd of men in an unidentified country. Narrator speaks of him as stirring up trouble and spreading the message of communism (during "red scare" timeframe in U.S.) Mobile unit truck of the United States Information Service (USIS) on the road to show (pro United States education and propaganda) USIA motion pictures. Citizens seated for watching USIA films on motion picture projector. Two local men work as projectionists. Faces of audience members as they watch the film on the screen. Man checks the reel of motion picture. Film of USIS starts. American and Thai officials riding on elephants cross a river in Thailand. American diplomatic officials talk with Thai officals seated around a table, planning anti-Communist information campaigns. They ride on horses in a rural area. They cross jungle areas on horse back. An American official wearing a suit and bow tie addresses a group of uniformed Thai officials. Maps on wall.
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