History of Modern Public Diplomacy

The United States Information Agency (USIA) took the lead in the war of ideas between the United States and the Soviet Union following World War II. The Cold War was arguably won because the United States had a better economic system and because the United States had better ideas and values. USIA helped present those ideas and values and it’s public diplomacy campaigns around the world carried great influence. Although USIA no longer exists, it is important to reminisce about the origins of its founding and how it has played a role in modern public diplomacy. The lessons of the past should be understood and presented for the benefit of those on the future front lines of U.S. public diplomacy.

CSIS is hosting a public event to examine USIA’s experience in the 1950s and 1960s, and will build upon previous conversations and a commentary that talked about the lessons learnt from the agency’s merger with the U.S. State Department in the 1990s. 

Please join us on February 26th for this important discussion. 

This event was made possible by general support to CSIS.​