811.20200(D)/8–2448
The Secretary of State
to the Embassy in the United Kingdom
secret
Washington, August 24,
1948.
No. 352
The Secretary of State refers to the Department’s information and
educational exchange program, and in response to inquiries received
from various missions concerned, has prepared the enclosed policy
statement2 to serve as a guide to the
Department’s information activities within certain countries of the
Near East.
The Department has been informally advised that the British Foreign
Office has issued a guidance on the question of cooperation with
United States field representatives in an anti-Communist publicity
program, and that this guidance has been sent to all British
missions concerned. The Department understands that the guidance
states that as a result of the various discussions that have taken
place it has been agreed that there should be a degree of
cooperation in this matter. It indicates that there has been an
agreement to exchange information and ideas where desirable without
any obligation on either side except when consultation has resulted
in agreement on a particular course of action.
The Department perceives no objection to the exchange of views with
corresponding British officers relative to our general policy in
this area inasmuch as it is to the Department’s advantage to receive
corresponding information concerning British plans and policy there.
It would however not be to the advantage of the government of the
United States to enter into any arrangement which gave the
appearance of joint action or that our activities were in any way
inspired by joint policy or a unified approach. The Department
therefore desires that complete independence of action and operation
be retained by responsible officers abroad in charge of our
information and educational [Page 82]
exchange programs, while using the amicable exchange of views to the
greatest advantage.
During his period of training in the Department, Mr. Mallory
Browne3 was apprised of the above-mentioned
action on the part of the British Foreign Office in issuing
instructions to all British missions concerned for cooperation with
the United States field representatives hi an anti-Communist
publicity program. Mr. Browne discussed informally this subject with
officers in the Department.
The Officer in Charge is requested to make appropriate comments and
suggestions relative to this instruction as well as on the enclosed
policy statement.
[Enclosure]
Information Policy for Arab States
background
It is probably not an exaggeration to say the US information
program in the Arab States is faced with problems of
unprecedented delicacy. In the space of a few short years the
United States has fallen from a position of unequalled esteem,
respect and honor in the attitudes of the peoples of the Arab
world to one of embittered distrust and animosity.
The outstanding achievements of American philanthropy over a
period of nearly a century plus a somewhat long-range admiration
of America’s accomplishments in peace and war were responsible
for the former and the US foreign policy vis-à-vis the Palestine
problem4 is entirely chargeable for the latter.
As of the moment we must recognize that the Arab countries of the
Hear East are convinced that America alone is primarily
responsible for the success which has attended the establishment
of the de facto State of Israel in what
is regarded as Arab territory. The part which other great powers
have had in the past or present in bringing about that which is
inimical to their interests has largely been forgotten in the
wave of anger directed at the United States for her part in
bringing about the present situation. Despite the role which the
United Nations has played in the matter, even this international
body has not taken very much of the curse off of the United
States leadership and backing.
The problem therefore which is posed is: In view of this
extremely unfavorable position of US prestige, what policy is to
be pursued in [Page 83]
informational output content in all media and further what
general principles may be established at this juncture as
general guides to our information activities and programs as a
whole in the Arab states?
The sole remaining American associations which are regarded with
any degree of tolerance and esteem are the American institutions
engaged in educational pursuits and philanthropy and, secondly,
American oil interests, chiefly because of the material benefit
derived and the personal attitudes of Americans engaged in the
business locally. There is a wide-spread tendency in the Arab
world to divorce American foreign policy and its baneful aspects
from individual Americans and American institutions within the
Arab countries.
u.s. information objectives in the arab
states
- 1.
- To present the factual record of U.S. policy and actions
continuously.
- 2.
- To make clear that the U.S. and its people have a real and
continuing interest in the social, economic and political
development of the Arab states and their peoples.
- 3.
- To show that U.S. policies and aims are fundamentally
compatible with the preservation of the sovereignty and
independence of the Arab states and that realization of the
national objectives of the U.S. are basically in accord with
the national aspirations of the Arab states and their
peoples.
- 4.
- To make clear that the objectives of the USSR and its
satellite states as shown by their actions are inimical to
the national aspirations and interests of the Arab states
and their peoples.
- 5.
- To retain and expand wherever possible the existing
good-will and friendly feelings of the people of the Arab
states toward individual Americans and toward private
American activities and enterprises.
guidance for the selection and preparation
of information materials
- 1.
- We should treat American policy statements and actions
factually. With respect to those policies and actions which
may be antagonistic to the Arab states and their peoples,
reporting should be brief, but sufficient to keep the record
straight.
- 2.
- We should use information materials concerning activities
and events in the U.S. which demonstrate that the American
people have a real interest in the culture, social, economic
and political advancement of the Arab states and the Near
and Middle East in general.
- 3.
- We should refrain from comment or reporting, except with
special guidance, on the activities of private American
institutions and enterprises in the Arab states in order to
preserve the concept that Americans and their private
activities are not agents of their government, [Page 84] but do represent
America as distinct from official American policy. The
purpose of this caution is to retain existing good-will
toward American institutions and enterprises in the face of
general antagonism toward American policy.
- 4.
- We should cover fully and continuously those activities of
the USSR, satellite states and Communist organizations which
demonstrate that herein lies the real threat to the
independence and national aspirations of the Arab
states.
- 5.
- We should constantly make clear that the U.S. is
supporting the independence and development of the small
states in the Mediterranean and Middle East areas. We should
refrain from depicting the USSR as a colossus with which
smaller, nearby states must come to terms to avoid
obliteration.
- 6.
- We should use copiously Americana feature material through
all media which depicts America as progressive in the arts,
sciences and culture and possessing those things, which, if
made available to countries requiring our assistance, will
result in their economic and scientific advancement and thus
contribute to the security of their independence.
- 7.
- We should use, whenever possible, any material relating to
the operations of ECA which
demonstrates that ECA is a
world recovery program and which shows concrete benefits to
the Arab states derived from ECA operations.
cultural and educational exchange
activities
This statement of policy is largely concerned with information
activities. The large comparable program of cultural relations
and the activities under the educational exchange program have
not been dealt with in detail, but will of course be the subject
of subsequent study and statements. In view of the troubled
political conditions making an overt information program at
times difficult to execute, the Department will endeavor to
place greater emphasis on cultural relations and the educational
exchange activities both in Government programs and those under
the auspices of private agencies operating in the Arab
states.
