511.00/1–2653: Circular telegram
The Secretary of State to Certain Diplomatic Posts1
801. Following is InfoGuide Bulletin 241:
[Page 1655]USSR: Communist Hate Campaign: Henceforth basic element in our treatment Soviet-Communist “Hate” campaign is to interpret it as general assault on non-Communist Governments and peoples. Purpose this approach is to (a) counteract developing Communist efforts to identify US as only “real” enemy of USSR and to alienate and isolate non-Communist countries from US; (b) broaden understanding of Communists opportunistic use of “Hate” propaganda as instrument of Communist imperialism, directed now and in past at many other nations and groups. Demonstration latter point should be one of our major continuing purposes.
Where “Hate America” campaign is considered to have been effective, we should address ourselves to correcting specific misapprehensions created and to component parts of “Hate” campaign as necessary. We also continue our emphasis on our own positive themes. While general references to Communist “Hate” techniques may be useful, misconceptions can best be corrected by specific practical presentation of materials offsetting Communist charges rather than by general refutations.
In accordance with above, we should avoid (a) mounting campaign against Soviet “Hate America” propaganda which would tend to emphasize that Soviet Hate campaign is directed primarily at US and not at others; (b) giving further publicity, especially among non-Communist peoples, to term “Hate America”; (c) expressing indignant responses to Soviet campaign of atrocious vilification of US.
Comprehensive and regional (especially USSR and Communist China) discussion and policy treatment this subject in IA Special Instruction upcoming.
- Drafted by Irving R. Wechsler and E. Lewis Revey of IIA; cleared in draft by Ralph Block and Joseph Gerrety of IIA, and in substance by Merritt Cootes of EE and Huyler of P; approved by Joseph Polakoff of IIA; telegraphed to 12 posts, pouched to 61 others.↩