Cultural Diplomacy With Evil Empire - Prologue Summer 2011

8/3/2019 Cultural Diplomacy With Evil Empire - Prologue Summer 2011

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C a D p acy with the Evil EmpirE

The Reagan adminisTRaTionoTheR FRonT in The Cold W

By a r w Wu f


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Cultural Diplomacy with the Evil Empire

When peoples understand each othe

the governments cannot be far behinAnd mutual trust can only be generated by a seriesinteractions that promote understanding, because all act upon what we think. What we think is a refetion o what we know. And o course, what we knois generated by the in ormation that is available to

USIa di Ch l Z. Wi k, J y 23, 1986

rece t ec es h e wit esse p i i us f w b ks, j u ls,

i l , bl i p a i l l

ipl y h i i h p p bli pi i .

Tese e e t- i e pp tuses i clu e v ice a e ic

i , li i , h i i i l , p -

-p i l x h .

Wh t is te e l ke by sch l s is the U ite St tes

I i a y (USIa) ll b i wi h h p i

useu s, cu t s, esi e s, tists, the exhibiti s they

h h h C l W .

Wh l i b xpl by h l i ip i

h w i y USIa xhibi i p i , whi h

i h . E h h hi p i ll b i -

ppe e t the e the C l W , it c ti ue t success ully

a i l i i l i .

Opposite: President Ronald Reagan and General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev chat at the GenevaSummit on November 21, 1985.

Prologue 15


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c lle e- e a e ic ui es, fue t irussi , wh se e s cultu l b ss -

s. Tese ce ts we e te subjectet e h stile questi s b ut theU ite St tes such subjects s cis ,i l , l k i i i i pxpl i .

Cu i sity t u pe c uti , h we e , se th 2.7 illi russi s isite the

xhibi i i i ix-w k , i l i

ge e l Sec et y nikit Kh ushche , whb lly p wi h vi P i i h

nix e the i tues c pit lis ei i - i h i l h g l El i Ki h . a e u i le cy this exhibiti

w h i h w i h a ii e j y bette qu lity li e, li e c -i l i il bl i

the sel es. a the esult this cultu l

i S i li w l b h i h 20 h i xhibi i , h -

t te by the USIa, th t isite the S ietU i b w 1959 1991.

the is y S iet le e s, thesee e ts w ul bec e c e st e ll

l l b w h wsupe p we s. S iet pe specti e, theseexhibiti s w ul e ph size, i the w s Se ei Kh ushche , the s the l te p e-ie wh isite the 1959 exhibiti s b y, Y u we e c su e s ciety we

w i i y.I 1980, u hly ye be e r l

re w ul be i his i st te sP esi e t, he chi e P esi e t Ji y C te s

ei p licy ec t i e celeb t-i P esi e t Li c l s bi th y. Cl i iC i p li y w b w k-

ill i , p ly b il p ili y h.

Ti p bli i l , l p ise e l p litic l c t s this pe i s t i e -h ppy c wb y wh s u ht t spe

sc e the S iet U i i t bli i ,is, u tu tely, chetype re

b hi i h p p l ly ph -iz i h l hip.

CArter AvoiDs ConfrontAtionWith the soviet union

Wh t y sch l s h e isse i p-p isi the i s cc plish e ts h 40 h P i h U i S w

b il i p h USIa i t well- ile public ipl cy pp tus.I 1977, u e re iz ti Pl n . 2,the USIa h bee e e with the St tedep t e ts Bu e u E uc ti l

C l l a i .E u gulli , wh c i e the tepublic ipl cy, ile i st the i -p i . H l , i y hc ee p essi ls withi the USIa, th tthe e subtle p ctice cultu l exch es

w ul e up si eli e by the e tly p -li i l i h S d p . Wh

Rough dra t o President Reagans taped remarks orthe opening o the In ormation USA exhibit inMoscow on June 4, 1987.

Prologue 1Cultural Diplomacy with the Evil Empire


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e e e i 1978 w s the U ite St tesI te ti l C u ic ti a e cy (USICa).

T C i i i i i -i h USIa the a e ic public b ut the ti s thei cultu es t sce e the e cys tt lli a i y h w l . Tii h P i wi h h p-i a i i p li y ( p blii e) th t w s isibly less b si e e

h p li i l lli i lik . a l , h C i -

i i hi w y i h i l i-c l c t ti with a e ic s C l W

y, h S i U i . Wh C w p i i ll -

tu lly supe i , re u e st h w ti fue ce the pe ple. K w u i hisp esi e cy s the g e t C u ic t ,b se his ye s expe ie ce i i ,l , l i i , h l h p wt pe su e the s. o e re s st t skss P esi e t w s t e cus the a e icp p chi e b . at th t 1980Li l Bi h y i , h l :

It is ti e t exp tic lly thev ice a e ic , r i ee Eu pe

r i Libe ty. We h e ess e pe ce h pe thi t be

sh e i the ex ples we set the w l . milli s up illi s pe ple l k t us s be c eei w l th t is st l si ee . We

y p i i h w l b h h il -less c u ist p p th t ist ts

y hi w . Wh h p i y, hil w l : h iz h l

by l w i x ki hi i ly; i i ili y h

w l i b hi h S i ili y; -t e e t, i t ll p ssible, c u-

is , t just i the S iet U i but uh w l ; h lp h a i p plbelie e i the sel es thei c u t y i .

reAgAn restores usiAto its originAl stAtus

du i re s st te s P esi e t, thel b l p litic l t sphe e w s i teby c i i us het ic l exch es betweeh i i i i S i l B zh , a p ,

Ch k . T p li i l li w b i h b i h h S li ,

the j i te ti l e e ts si eli e ew cultu l exch e ee e t with the S iets.T i l h 1979 S i i -i a h i , i l l w i P l ,

i i i - i il -pl y i E p , h h h S i p -i i i h i h i i , h S p b 1983 h i w

K i ili i li .Te S iets s w the sel es ce with

the st ilit tly ti-c u ist U.S.i ist ti si ce the e ly ye s the

C l W , ly i - a i p li i l ili y p i-

i y. I Whi H p J u y 29, 1981, j u list S d l s

k h P i :m . P esi e t, wh t y u see s thel - e i te ti s the S ietU i ? d y hi k, i , hK e li is be t w l i tih i h l i i hc l w , y u thi k th t u eh i i p ibl ? whi h p : W ll,

te tes bee e-w y st eet th t the S ietU i h p i w i .

pp i Ch l Z. Wi k s i ect his e pe USIa c p u - a i p bli i h ll i

the st te . Wick w s re ily ie C li i wh h e hisk st s b le e y d seys

Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev and Vice President Richard Nixon hold an impromptu tte--tte (minutesbe ore the abled Kitchen Debate) in the RCA television studio at the American National Exhibition inMoscow, 1959.

18 Prologue Summer 2011
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a i p li i l i hC l W .

a yet, be e th the supe p we s bit- i i i h h , h w p h

t exp cultu l exch es betwee theU i S h S i U i . settle i t his le s c e -i -chie by i e i tely c lli the ulli c -ti C te s sec te t e uc te

a i b h w l . By 1982, Wi k h h y i i l .

E h USIa i -te S iet p p with ble-s u iipl cy e si epe h ps i spi e by H y C p i h hUSIa P j h. B h -st te the supe i ity e c cy e

c u is t c b t S iet isi -ti b ut the U ite St tes, P jectuth hi hli hte with i c e se i thei i l i i h USIa:

St e the ei u e st i pp U.S. p li i i

a i h P i , y , n ti l Secu ity C u cil the

i plic ti s ei pi i p es- U.S. p li i

P te i iste e uc ti l

l l x h ili -e st i the ti l i te est h U i S

U sk c u te isi ti t-p i h bj -

i p li i h U i S

C pe te with p i te a e ic i -stituti s i te ests t i c e sethe qu lity e ch U.S. publicipl y

assist i the e el p e t c -p ehe si e p licy the ee f w

i ti i te ti li i

C uct e ti ti s i ti i l l l x h

wi h h P j h hi - wh i

S i -a i l l l i . Wh w i i w i l l l x ht e ty. m k S ith, e re -e cul-tu l tt ch st ti e i m sc w u i thel - w ite si i the cultu l ee-e t 1985, esc ibe the te se cli tei i i :

Te e ti ti s ew ee e tb i S p b 1984, h y i h g S i

b ix h b [mikh il]g b h p w . Ch k

w s still the ge e l Sec et y t theti e. a i spite the h sh het -i , w lw y y xpx h . al , h i b hl with the i b c sts v ice a e ic r i ee Eu pe, cul-l x h p i l ly h -

li xhibi w i l ly i i i , b l hippiw y t the I Cu t i th t is l teS iets the est the w l .Exhibits si ce the cultu l ee e ts the 1950s we e si e qu

the U.S. n exhibits? n ee e t.

To learn more about USIa hi y, www.archives.gov/research/guide-

fed-records/groups/306.html,li k 306.5.4, h

Exhibi . T i i i p

p h USIa, www.reagan.utexas.edu/archives/textual/whormsub/FG14.html. T 1985 l l h wl l p i b w h U.S. h

USS , www.reagan.utexas.edu/archives/ textual/topics/geneva.htm.

President Reagan reaches or Soviet Foreign Minister Eduard Shevardnadze as Mikhail Gorbachev andSecretary o State George Shultz shake hands ollowing the signing o the new cultural exchange treaty at theGeneva Summit on November 21, 1985.

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T S i k w hi b h y l w h xhibi h i -i h h h y l . T y w l h p xhibi

e tly p litic l t pics. a s we l- w y h h , whil explicitly p litic l, e e theless c u-ic te , i iety subtle ts subtle w ys, the supe i ity the

a e ic syste . a e ic s chie e-e ts i tech l y, p ese te t public st e i ti , we e e

h x pl .Te U.S.-USSr Cultu l a ee e t,

si e t the ge e Su it i 1985by Sec et y St te ge e Shultz S iet mi iste ei a i s E uSh z , i l h p i b l l i i i i pi 1979. v i us e s the exch e i -l h p i , p p l i ,c e i , public ipl cy, scie ce tech l y, sp ts, t u is , cultu lxhibi i .

T i i h l l - i h b k p l

issues, uch like the he te 1955 ge et lks 30 ye s e lie . Te e lity is th t publicipl cy t iu phs itte ly less isibleh h h p w i i -i ucle p li e ti , ec ic exp -si , ilit y i te e ti pe sistebetwee the U ite St tes the S ietU i b h i 1955 1985. T

w h b h i h h y w hst expe ie t ute t c ey ti sl k p i l i p bli .

u.s. PrePAres exhiBitsfor soviet AuDienCes

i lly, te six-ye b e k ci lxhibi i x h wi h h S i U i ,h USIa, l wi h p i - p ,be pl i ze s i te ti l exhibi-i , ll p l h w i U.S. b -i p ili w l i . T i l - a i p k b , J p ,

Above:President Reagan and USIA Director Charles Wick in the Oval O fce on December 22, 1986.

Below:A Soviet Propaganda Alert produced by the U.S International Communication Agency during theReagan administration.

Prologue 2


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i 1985; v c u e , C , i 1986; B i b , a li , i 1988. T ls e c u e u e us useu exch - b w , bly, h m p li

m h i l g ll y a the U.S. si e the St te He it e Pushki museu s the S iet si e. Test e t exhibiti se t t the S iet

U i te the 1985 cultu l ee e t w ll i Wy h ily p i i . a hi yp h w w h l l xhibi-ti c e te speci c lly S iet u ie ce.

I ti USa: Li ki Pe ple K wle e pe e Ju e 4, 1987, im w. T $14 illi h w h l pi i i p -e s ss c u ic ti . Tis exhibi-i w Ki , - -d ,bilisi, shke t, I kutsk, m it sk,Le i , mi sk, e chi ll le els the S iet citize y. a e i 200,000isit s y, it c ti ue the t e iq i i b w a i i i i ll wi h h i-

l h p y y li i h U iSt tes. Exhibit ui e J a e h l is-

i h i i wi h h i i , h

the t uth w s e ecti e tech iquei h . l i

w i i i i l wi h p pl , h ly i ly k w h b , pp i y i wi h h h wi h e e ts i l e . S e h e e

h wi h y a i b .Te exhibiti e tu e ze s c pute si h by appl IBm h w il ble isit use. m ie p ste s e

h w ll . Sh ppi ll wi h a ip cesse s, such s Jell-o, , C l Whip, t t lize while b - ew Ply h vy w h i h -i . a p i P i ,b ll i i h h w, ill p i ip h p p h yp p - -p x h :

In ormation USA: Linking People and Knowledge opened on June 4, 1987, in Moscow. Top:Russians wait inline or the exhibit to open. Middle:Guide Kris Easter interacts with young Soviets. Bottom:Guide MelindaGoodrich discusses agriculture with exhibition visitors.

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h y x h xhibi-ti s i 1959, this p h s bee e the st success ul i cqu i tih p pl wi h li i h h-

y. . . . T xhibi whi h y b i p i ily

with the i p e e ts i ily li eb h b by h w h l y. Ih pe th t whe y u h e see the wh leexhibit, y u will h e uch bette i e h w this I ti re luti

h s i ee t s e y e s a i li . . . . I h p h h wh

hi xhibi will k h i lk a i i p i li , h h i i h

i pli i i i h l y w ll-b i .

a h l b wh i p hi p pl h :T B x pl yi mi h l J k T ill w bi hi h p pl

w wh i w .. . . [a ] p bli l i l, I hi k these sh ws we e ext e ely e ecti e.Tey i c t ibute t the ll theS iet U i . Tese russi pe plei hi b h y l hhi w h i h y hipe ly. the , this is wh t a e ic

w s b ut, they we e sh cke , i st ce, th t a e ic s h i te lp p .o e c ul ue th t u st te l

these the tic exhibiti s w s t ubh S i i h h h y illsubsiste i s c i ce s ciety t il-lust te, ce i , th t li e i the West

w p i .H we e , the pe ple-t -pe ple c t ct

i wh E w . m w, i hUSIa u i the Ke e y i ist ti ,c lle the l st th ee eet public ipl cy l ly w . a w p -e ly t these speci l e e ts 1959 th u h1991, a e ic s russi s, s pe ple, ii i l i . P

T y b wi h w iye s success ul e ts by the U ite St tesi usi cultu l exhibiti s s i st u e ts

i p li y.T i I p xpl i h i h

S d p U.S. p i i l lib y hi , h I b i b wh

u be sch l s h e i e ti e s the be i i the USIas ecli ethe 1980s. as the il-ble chi l e i e ce e st tes, i itit the e- - e i te iews with e St tedep t e t cultu l tt chs, I ke the u e th h U i S , p i l ly l

l hip, ly h pi l lipl y p li y l b l l i - h p i i wi hi h P i

c bi et. But this sce cy, s hist y p es, w l b b i .

despite its e i e t success i e chi ut t S iet public th t w s c ti u lly st e

wi h h W , h w l k the e the hey y these the tic exhibiti s h S i U i . T h h w l b e USIa exhibit (desi USa) se t t the S iet

U i h ll h B li W ll, h xhibib h USIa p i w l h w

pl ly. T hi pl x bey the i e i te sc pe this ticle, buti pli i lly, wi h h i S i -is , the ti le u i pe ple-t -pe plex h ll w i il .

y hi l i , i p -ticul the re Lib ys chi es, is pe iup t sch l ly i te p et ti . as this p esi e ti llib y i i w wi h h y i il ble cu e t ti the re p esi-

y, h i b i h 1980 a i p i i l p li i .Tis ese ch, b se ls USIa chi es, is

u e te by isits t n ti l a chi es t C lle eP k, m yl , the Bu e u E uc ti l Cultu l a i s i yette ille, a k s s. I te iew

i i i i i l i l i h i executi these exhibiti s se e s i-

i l i l p i y i l. a hi

h h i h USIa xhibi i p - by i i i l i h -

e USSr W s w P ct c u t ies e u lly p i h l ly i p i .

I h , yi xhibi i h bjh y i , wh h h y ll

i a i y h w l -hi i l h , b h p .I the p cess e i exhibiti s i e e l,e y th t they f tly t s y wh t w s i -

te e by thei cu t s esi e s. o the i te -i y b i ll lly w k. a y , h q -i h why h w i , whi h kthe e e - ese i e sch l ly tte ti .ne e theless, sch l ly st p i t, theseexhibiti s se e s c plex cultu l bjects th t

bl h h l w w y i l l hi y.U l h l ly x h i hi i l ,

which i e e e u e u e st i h p i a i l l ipl y u i the C l W , i clu e nich l s J. Culls Te Cold War and the United States Information Agency

American Propaganda and Public Diplomacy,19451989 (C b i e: C b i e U i e sity P ess, 2008), rich . a ts Te First Resort of Kings: American Cultural Diplomacy inthe wentieth Century (W shi t , d.C.: P t cB k , 2006). J k m y (wi h C w y Ll ym ) Cold War Confrontations: U.S. Exhibitionsand Teir Role in the Cultural Cold War (B e ,Swi z l : L mll , 2008), i ii i h h w i pp h h l p-e t s e these exhibiti s. W lte Hixs sParting the Curtain: Propaganda, Culture, and the Cold War, 19451961 (new Y k: St. m ti sP ess, 1997), e s sci ti i - epth

iscussi the U ite St tes e ly C l Wcultu l pp ch t w the S iet U i . a ust- e bette u e st i the cul-

l h ll w h p li i a e ic exhibits i the S iet U i is Y lei h , U.S.-Soviet Cultural Exchanges, 19581986: Who Wins? (B ul e , Co L :

West iew P ess, 1987). a i te esti st te e t by Se ei Kh ushche the C l W i e e l cb i S i Kh h h , T C l WT u h the L ki gl ss, American Heritage 50( b 1999): 37.

Qu tes by Ch les Wick r l re p i y i l i h

Lib y USIa l . k h 1980

Li c l s Bi th y i e we e ec e by L u C i re s ei P licy: Sc pWe k ess, Illusi , St ess milit y St e th,Washington Post, eb u y 16, 1980. Wicks e-

k b ut the p e t y e pi e ppe s i I im l ky, Wi k H m h E y, New York Times, J y 24, 1986. m k S i h q ii i i i w by h -th i m y 2009. J a e h l s qu t ti is e-

i i i w i m h 2011.

ote on Sources

Author

Andrew Wulf is cu t ther l re P esi e ti l Lib y

museu ct l c -i te i useu stu ies t the

U i e sity Leiceste i the U ite Ki . Hisi i i h i xhibi i l i

a i i p li y. B i h Lib y, h w xhibi i h U i i y S uthe C li i s Speci l C llecti s. He ecei e

his ste s e ee i t hist y useu stu ies USC i 2005.

Prologue 23Cultural Diplomacy with the Evil Empire

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Cultural Diplomacy With Evil Empire - Prologue Summer 2011