Foreign Relations of the United States, 1917–1972, Volume VIII, Public Diplomacy, 1969–1972

168. Memorandum From Helmut Sonnenfeldt of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)¹

Washington, March 27, 1972

SUBJECT

• Shakespeare on Correct Usage of the Term “Soviet”

Under cover of a memorandum (Tab A), Frank Shakespeare has sent you a copy of an internal USIA memo in which he recommends that his Agency’s media and men avoid using the term “Soviet” when referring to the people living within the borders of the Soviet Union. These people are not “Soviets,” Frank points out, but Russians, Ukrainians, Latvians, Uzbecks, etc. To call the USSR a “nation,” when it is a multi-national state, fosters an illusion that it is a happy family, rather than the imperialist state beset by nationality problems which it is.

Fulbright criticized this memorandum—particularly its last sentence—at the USIA authorization hearings March 23.² So did Senator Javits (although Frank does not mention this). Excerpts from it got into Friday’s press.³ The Soviet Embassy’s press counselor thereupon appeared at State, saying Dobrynin had sent him to request a copy of the memorandum and asking if the press stories had quoted it correctly. State didn’t have the memorandum at the time and doesn’t intend to give the Embassy a copy, but the Soviets (Russians, we mean) will be able to get it when it comes out in the published hearings.

USIA tells us that Frank dashed this memorandum off after a meeting with Dick Pipes, whose views you will recognize in it. He apparently did not consult with anybody on his staff or in State before sending it. Somebody then leaked it to Fulbright, who had it ready for the hearings.

We understand that Frank’s memorandum does not foreshadow any change in Voice transmission policies or other USIA output. The Voice has been broadcasting in several Soviet Union minority languages for a long time and tries to refer to the “peoples of the Soviet Union,” rather than the “Soviet people.”

A possibility, although State discounts it, is that the Soviet Embassy will enter a formal protest once it has the full text. The last sentence of the memorandum will bug the Soviet Union’s authorities, but they are on weak ground to protest for they themselves acknowledge that the USSR is a multi-national state.

Frank is covering his flanks by sending you his memorandum after it was leaked to Fulbright. There is no need to reply unless you wish to warn him to go easy on needling the Soviet Union on nationality issues right at the moment. If you wish to reply, we will draft an answer.

RECOMMENDATION

That you not reply to Shakespeare.

Approve (No reply to be Sent)⁴

Disapprove (Sonnenfeldt prepare a reply to Shakespeare).

Tab A

Memorandum From the Director of the United States Information Agency (Shakespeare) to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)⁵

Washington, March 23, 1972

The attached internal memorandum, from me to the head of our Policy and Plans office, was sharply criticized by Senator Fulbright during this morning’s USIA Authorization Hearings before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Fulbright took the position that its intent was to stir up trouble in a foreign country.

Frank Shakespeare⁶

Attachment

Memorandum From the Director of the United States Information Agency (Shakespeare) to the Deputy Director for Policy and Plans (Towery)⁷

Washington, March 17, 1972

USSR propaganda increasingly refers to the people who live within its borders as “the Soviets.” There is no such thing. The correct meaning of soviet is a council of workers. Use of the word as a collective noun for the population of the USSR should be avoided by our media and officers.

The people of the major nations within the Soviet Union should be referred to by their nationality i.e. Ukrainians, Georgians, Latvians, Russians, Uzbeks, Armenians, etc.

To put it another way, the people of Georgia are Georgians; they are not Soviets, Russians, or anything else.

Correct use of words and terms is important, particularly when we are dealing with opponents who commonly distort meanings for purposes of deliberate confusion, deception, or political and psychological ends.

Example: In the February issue of SOVIET LIFE, reference is made to “a new historical community of peoples—the Soviet nation.” This is semantical absurdity. There is no “Soviet nation” and never will be. The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics is a state; it encompasses many nations, and is thus a multi-national state . . . but it is not a nation. To call it so, apart from being grammatically incorrect, is to foster the illusion of one happy family rather than an imperialist state increasingly beset with nationality problems, which is what it is.

Frank Shakespeare⁸

1. Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 295, Agency Files, USIA—Vol. IV—1972 [Jan–Oct 1972] [2 of 2]. Confidential. Sent for action. Haig initialed the memorandum. He also wrote “THRU HAIG” and drew a line from it to Sonnenfeldt’s name in the “from” line. An unknown hand crossed this out. Janka also initialed the top right-hand corner of the memorandum.
2. See footnote 4, Document 163.
3. March 24. Presumable reference to “USIA Head Bars ‘Soviet’ From Usage,” Washington Post, March 24, 1972, p. A6. The article noted: “Fulbright viewed the memo as an indication of a USIA effort ‘to stir up trouble’ for the Soviet government.” (Ibid.) Russell Baker referenced the Shakespeare memorandum in his March 30 column, commenting: “Frank Shakespeare, the director of the United States Information Agency, is at odds with William Shakespeare, the playwright, and the issue—marvelous to say—is the value of a name.” (“What’s in a Shakespeare?” New York Times, March 30, 1972, p. 37)
4. Kissinger initialed the “Approve” option.
5. No classification marking.
6. Shakespeare initialed “FS” above this typed signature.
7. No classification marking.
8. Shakespeare initialed “FS” above this typed signature.