Foreign Relations of the United States, 1917–1972, Volume VII, Public Diplomacy, 1964–1968

46. Airgram From the Embassy in the Soviet Union to the Department of State¹

A–1555

Moscow, May 28, 1965

SUBJECT

• Evaluation Report on Architecture-USA Exhibit

The following observations are based on the first public showing of the Architecture-USA Exhibit in Leningrad on 25 May. Direct reactions to the Exhibit itself will be summarized in a later report² which will deal with a week’s sample of viewers. It should be understood that the following political discussions made up only a small part of the total number of discussions of various types at the Exhibit.

Viet-Nam and the Dominican Republic

The question of Viet-Nam was raised numerous times by Soviet viewers in company with small crowds around the guides. Most frequently the question was posed in terms of what the American people think of US policy in Viet-Nam. The guides’ answers to the effect that we don’t want war any more than the Soviet people do and that infiltration of South Viet-Nam had been started from the North generally were accepted as the best answers that the guides could give and the question usually was not actively pursued further.

Students were more knowledgeable about Viet-Nam in contrast to one man who simply asserted that the Pentagon was responsible. There were several instances of agitators (or, at least hecklers) attempting to embarrass a guide on Viet-Nam, but without success. One Party-liner even extended himself to assert that the US had erected the Berlin Wall, but he was laughed at by the Soviets around him. Most significant, in no instance did the crowds witnessing or taking part in discussion on Viet-Nam seem overly concerned or apprehensive about the situation.

American policy in the Dominican Republic was questioned less frequently than was US policy in Viet-Nam.

Khrushchev

Several times guides were asked what Americans thought of Khrushchev. One guide answered that Americans were surprised at his being replaced and had not they also been surprised, which drew sheepish admission that they had been. There were some tentative offers that Khrushchev had retired because of age. Another guide answered that many Americans felt sorry for Khrushchev, and the Soviets found that amusing. Although they acknowledged that Soviet-American relations were better when he was in office, and that this probably was why Americans liked Khrushchev, the Soviets felt that Khrushchev was not the type of man for the job. Some labeled him a blunderer responsible for the present problems in Agriculture. In off-duty private conversations with well-educated Russians similar opinions were offered—that he was a peasant, uncouth, and not the type of man the Soviet Union should have for its leader.

One guide was asked how Americans like the new Soviet leaders.³ Answering that Americans don’t know anything about them and expressing the hope that the new leaders would visit the US drew comment that they should visit America.

Stalin

A question of whether the American people see Soviet films was followed by one as to whether Americans saw films made in Stalin’s time. The Soviets in this discussion observed that a lot of things have changed since Stalin’s time—the USSR is now “closer to the truth.”

Kennedy

The late President Kennedy still holds tremendous respect in the eyes of many Soviet citizens. Many asked for Kennedy half-dollars and many said they loved him and compared him with Roosevelt.

Amerika and VOA

Many Soviet citizens at the Exhibit and elsewhere offer only the uninformative comment that Amerika⁴ is “very hard to get.” One young lady about to take her graduate exams in English conversation noted that a friend runs a newstand and sets aside her few copies for her friends and acquaintances.

At the Exhibit several people spotted the piled packages containing Amerika (with the President and Vice-President on the cover) before the magazines were given out and unpacked. A crowd swarmed on the packages and ripped some of them open, so that Soviet militia men had to be called to dispel them and “guard” the packages.

In Leningrad⁵ several days before the Exhibit opened a number of guides were asked if they were with the Exhibit. One guide was questioned three times in one day by Soviet citizens, two of whom had heard about the exhibit on VOA broadcasts and one by way of Amerika magazine.

For the Ambassador:Ernest G. Wiener⁶ Counselor for Cultural Affairs

1. Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1964–66, CUL 8–1. Limited Official Use. Drafted by Remick; cleared by Stoessel; approved by Wiener. Sent to the Department for USIA/ICS/EW.
2. Not found.
3. Reference is to the officials who assumed leadership positions in the Soviet Government after Khrushchev was deposed in 1964, including Brezhnev and Kosygin.
4. See footnote 6, Document 21.
5. Reference is to the former name for St. Petersburg, the capital of Imperial Russia (1732–1918).
6. Wiener signed “E.G. Wiener” above this typed signature.