123. Memorandum From Secretary of State Rusk and the Director of the U.S. Information Agency (Murrow) to President Kennedy1
SUBJECT
- An Effective Countertheme to “Peaceful Coexistence”
In the period since early 1956 the Soviets have transformed the concept and phrase, “peaceful coexistence,” into a useful political tool by assiduous and continuous propagation at all levels of the government and party apparatus. They have gained abroad a substantial measure of acceptance of this concept as a legitimate objective, not only of their foreign policy but of other countries. It appears as such in repeated joint communiqués of the Soviet Union and other countries and all too [Page 238] frequently in the speeches and conversations of leading political figures, particularly but not exclusively, from the uncommitted countries.
We have attempted to combat it by pointing out both the hypocrisy and true meaning of its major tenets and by indicating that it is nothing more than a Soviet rationalization for using every measure of struggle against the free world except nuclear warfare. Toward this end we have made occasional public speeches and have instructed our posts abroad to disseminate our views of it. This has been manifestly inadequate. In the field of propaganda one simply can not beat something with nothing.
We have needed a single, simple countertheme if we are to do the job. After a long study of the possible alternatives, we have concluded that “peaceful world community” is the most effective phrase we can find. Although this phrase seems to embody the essence of our basic foreign objectives, we recognize that neither it nor any other single phrase will magically accomplish our purposes. If, however, we devote the same degree of attention and effort to it that the Soviets give to “peaceful coexistence,” we should be able to invest it with meaningful content, achieve an increasing measure of understanding of the difference between our and the Soviet concept and have some success in associating other countries with our view. “Peaceful world community” also helps us in our efforts to emphasize that “general and complete disarmament” is not an end in itself but an important component of a larger aim. John McCloy quite independently used the exact phrase for that purpose in his conversation with Gromyko. USIA is instructing all its media to employ the term whenever it is appropriate.
If you approve of this phrase and of its employment in the manner indicated, we will give some thought as to how it can be most auspiciously launched.
- Dean Rusk
- Edward R. Murrow
- Source: Washington National Records Center, RG 306, USIA Files: FRC 68 A 1415, Policy and Plans-Nuclear Testing/61. Official Use Only. According to a memorandum from Frederic O. Bundy, this memorandum did not go directly to the President, but was intercepted by Arthur Schlesinger, Jr., who then forwarded it to McGeorge Bundy under cover of a June 19 memorandum. (Ibid.) Schlesinger’s memorandum is printed as Document 124.↩