Foreign Relations of the United States, 1977–1980, Volume XXX, Public Diplomacy

202. Memorandum From the Director of the International Communication Agency (Reinhardt) to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Brzezinski)¹

Washington, February 7, 1980

SUBJECT

• USICA Activities Supporting U.S. Policy on 1980 Summer Olympics

The President’s decision to seek postponement, transfer or cancellation of the Moscow Olympic Games² has received priority attention from International Communication Agency elements.

Besides participation in the Department of State’s Olympic Task Force, USICA has provided overseas posts with two major guidance papers:

—An issue analysis cable providing current U.S. policy and positions on the Moscow Olympics and relevant historical information was sent to all posts on January 14, 1980.³

—On February 4, 1980, posts received additional public affairs talking points on non-participation in the Moscow Olympics and pertinent excerpts from the Soviet-produced “Little Handbook for Party Activists” on Moscow’s strategy for handling the Summer Games.⁴

International media reaction is being provided daily for all interested U.S. Government agencies, and a special weekly summary of this media reaction is being sent to the White House.

VOA and the Wireless File are supporting USG efforts to build international support for the non-participation position. The comments of prominent Americans (e.g., Senator Bradley, Muhammad Ali, Al Orter, Professor Pipes and reporters/columnists from Robert Kaiser to Red Smith to George Will to Shirley Povich) have been used to convey the depth and extent of U.S. opinion regarding the games. Also worthy of note is a half-hour VOA documentary, “The Olympic Games—Sports or Politics?” which examined in depth the proposition that the two have become intertwined.

USICA Africa Area Director Art Lewis and Regional Sports Officer Mal Whitfield, plus a VOA Correspondent and a Wireless File reporter, are traveling with Muhammad Ali in Africa.⁵

Most of VOA’s coverage is being broadcast in our English and foreign language programs directed to the Soviet Union, the Islamic World, and the nations of the Nonaligned Movement. Most of the Wireless File output is being carried by all of its regional files.

1. Source: Carter Library, White House Central Files, Subject File, Federal Government, Voice of America, Box FG–219, FG 298–1 2/1/80–2/15/80. No classification marking.
2. In a January 20 letter to Kane, the President urged the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) to advise the International Olympics Committee (IOC) that if the Soviet Union failed to remove its troops from Afghanistan within the next month, that “Moscow will become an unsuitable site for a festival meant to celebrate peace and good will.” The President also recommended that if the troops were not removed, the USOC should propose that the games be held in Montreal (the site of the 1976 Summer Olympics), at a variety of sites, or cancelled. He added that if the International Olympics Committee rejected that proposal, he would urge the USOC and other Olympic Committees not to participate in the Moscow games. (Public Papers: Carter, 1980–1981, Book I, pp. 106–107)
3. Not found.
4. Not found.
5. See Document 201. Additional documentation on Ali’s trip is scheduled for publication in Foreign Relations, 1977–1980, vol. XXV, United Nations; Global Issues.