Office of the Historian

188. Telegram From the Embassy in the Soviet Union to the Department of State1

Moscow, December 6, 1966.

2515. Moscow 2483.2

1.
Despite continuing appearance anti-US remarks in Soviet papers, one cannot escape over-all impression that anti-US propaganda of most vicious and spurious kind has dropped off perceptibly in main Soviet press since mid-Nov, in comparison with Sept and Oct. This has been directly related to a still sharper reduction in commentary, photo reporting, and even news coverage of Vietnam war, considering that latter recently has been generating good portion of anti-US material. Propaganda exploitation of uglier events in US life, notably racial strife, plus usual fare of biased reporting on US institutions and morals, have also tapered off slightly during same period. Tapering off of anti-US propaganda in Soviet domestic radio, TV, and provincial press has been slower. Apparently no real let-up yet discernible on Moscow international radio (we have FBIS through Nov 25).
2.
Hard to imagine this propaganda ebb accidental. While it true period has seen numerous speeches by leadership requiring extensive press attention, plus somewhat less dramatic US actions than for example President’s Asian trip,3 Vietnam war nevertheless certainly goes on and had been making top news here consistently for many months. Particularly striking is failure central Soviet press even to summarize points in Vietnam resolution of Hungarian Party Congress (Budapest 640)4 and relatively routine treatment latest US bombings Hanoi area. Sharp anti-Chinese build-up in same period (reftel) could conceivably provide explanation in sense of propaganda strategy.
3.
Last vehement anti-US campaign was mid-Nov discussion alleged US war crimes in Vietnam. This prompted by early Nov release “documents” of DRV war crimes investigation commission, which initially almost ignored by Soviet press. Coverage of US also hostile in early part of Nov, but no comparison with Oct, which saw vicious charge re US chemical warfare in Vietnam in connection with Nuremberg [Page 443] trial anniversary (uglier than on 1965 anniversary), attacks on Secretary McNamara, Peace Corps, President’s speeches in Asia, exchange program (article on Prof Shulman), Westmoreland, and near end Oct, six days of highly offensive propaganda on Kennedy assassination and Warren Report, echo of which in provincial press continued through Nov. Sept level was almost as high as that of Oct, when one considers cumulative picture of attacks that month re US genocide, CIA and INR misdeeds, Puerto Rico exploitation, espionage in universities and exchanges, defector Harold Koch, convicted US soldier Dennis Mora, Eisenhower’s Vietnam nuclear remark, and unfriendly references to VP Humphrey, Secretary Rusk and Amb Goldberg.
4.
In our opinion, it too early to make meaningful evaluation of significance this relative let-up anti-US propaganda. However, as indicated reftel, we find it noteworthy and will be interesting see whether or not it indicates beginning of a definitive trend.5
  1. Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1964–66, POL US–USSR. Confidential. No time of transmission appears on the telegram; it was received in the Department of State at 5:41 a.m. December 6.↩
  2. Dated December 2, it summarized the Soviet domestic anti-Chinese Communist propaganda campaign. (Ibid., CSM 1 CHICOM–USSR)↩
  3. On October 17 President Johnson left Washington for a 17-day tour of the Far East and attended the Manila Conference on Vietnam.↩
  4. Dated December 3. (National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1964–66, POL 27 VIET S)↩
  5. Printed from an unsigned copy.↩