MOST FREQUENT PROPAGANDA THEMES

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CIA-RDP80-00809A000500730062-9
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RIPPUB
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R
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9
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December 21, 2016
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September 4, 2003
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62
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Publication Date: 
November 11, 1998
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REPORT
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Approved For Release 2008/03/03: CIA-RDP80-00809A000500730062-9 CENTRAL 1 E r? r t t '1 25) LUJAC- 4 ! COU O t ssa SUBJECT ?dolt Frequent Propaganda Themes PLACE ACQUIRED DATE' ACQUIRED T1115 OOPUPENT C ? IITRIIIA IN FORNATIOII AFFECrIhC .1I? :IATION:.L ncil ;.S!P In. OF r:l E' IINIT' L' T";4TPU Tl1T11I1) Till: NC.:IIINO OP I::PTOUtOE A0 IN U U. C.. Ol /NO 7' 'AS AUCUOii. ITS TO4tT5'/IC.I.:h OR 7UC NEUELA OPS Of ITS CONT TITS 194 At" 11AUUER TO N UIIAUTNO :IS'Z O PL17500 11 PTI). 1IIOIr40 sY lAll REPRODUCTION OF T1135 fOi1N 17 PCOIIIOI TEU IIOJr I. T81~, TEN MOST PR.O?dr;Jr TT THEM: THIS IS UI!EVALUAi ED INFORMATION FOR THE RESEARCH USIE OF TRIAINED INTELLIGENCE ANALYSTS Broadly speaking, there are (aoli y two thus 98 So et radils propegeidas "wsi aro Bupo iorr and they are W.erlor." The ear scs> to is aouttanally ps etur I'I as a g3 (;antic struggle between good an caeii, ` h all. good on -the eide of the ?da ocra.tic1' (pro-]ovi?t) forces, and ai . evil im~ Ithe eide of t't2?9 0ant-2-aomocratice or':mian .)ri.iliet'forces, espco~ia.tLy the United t tSE), It is often difficult to draw ; sharp liuom etvasai the vrkritoriaa sorts" of 0! oo& and "ev?1p which are attributed respectively to tke U:3SR' and its eraar>ziee. If cm atteript is trade to do ttbis, hover, a much tar ar, n tabor of thtmeel can be distingi. ished. The teen which have probably been Ilrost frequent' in foreigk broadlca.sto CLASSIFICATION ftr8TR.1ED STATE roaw 9i Ni SRB DISTRIBUTIO I.F II 1i . RESTRIC II ED acted by Approved For Release 2008/03/03: CIA-RDP80-00809A000500730062-9 DATE D!STR. ]14 July 19483 NO. OF PACES 9 11 NO. OF ENCLS. (LIiTE 143tLOW) SUPPLEMENT TO REPORT NO. Approved For Release 2008/03/03: CIA-RDP80-00809A000500730062-9 -RESTRkCTED Since 1 January 1948, rrranged' in an estinmt d order of freauency,~ are as follows: 1. Our ur enemies are imperialistic. 2. They are undemocratic. 3. They are untruthful) 4. They are reactionary (opposing s, ^ial justice). 5. They are uncooperative. 6. They are war-meking. 7. They hurt the economy of other nations. 8. We (the USSR and the "democratic" forces in every 'other nation) re peaceful. 9. Our enemies are dismembering Germany. 1.0. We are democratic. Tolrepresent the full meaning and the actual complexity of these themes, however, it is necessary to illustrate them in some detail.. 1. Or. enemy are imperial stic. (The sort "enemies" is to be understood as representing primarily the United States--or, strictly) speaking, the "ruling' circles in the (United Staten! -and the "ruling" or "re- actionary" circles in All otherlcountries except the Soviet Union and the "new democracies" of eastern Europe. Britain is not singled out for denunciation nearly so often as the United States, though the term "Anglo-Americanlimperialism" is often used, and the term "western' powers"--usually implying Britain and sometimes France, In addition to the also frequent. In our sample, the U.S. was specifically denounced 220 timee; the 'western posers" or "Anglo-American circles," 111 times; "reectionarias" in other countries, 110 times; and Britain alone only 25 times. It' should also be noted that in this tabulation the non- Soviet Left in Europe and elsewhere--Bevin, Blum, Schumacher, Saragat-is counted as "reactionary," since in the Soviet ideology it is As reactionary as Well Street itself, and, if possible, even more dangerous. ) The Marshall Plan, like thelTruman Doctrine, is a device to enslave Europe. U?S. monopoly capitalism isinaiiiousl y taking control of the economies of all nations outside the Soviet sphere. ?- The list is based on a statistical study of the themes represented in the introductions to the weekly SURVEY OF USSR RADIO BROADCL,STS during the past ten weeks (29 April--7 July) Each of these introductions sununarizes in 5-6 pages the content of Soviet radio propaganda during a givgh week. The o?der thus obtained was then slightly corrected on the basis of an impressionistic judgment of shifts of emphasis between the period January-April and the period ,day-Jiily . Since this' sample wos relatively !,small and by no means fully representative, the data ,should betaken as the best available eatjmat&,lrather than as completely accurate. (It has not yet been feasible to obtain a scientifically adeauste semrle of Soviet brosdcaste or to carry on statistical analysis of Soviet broadcasts as a regular procedure. It is hoped that this will be possible in the near future.) RESTRI~TED Approved For Release 2008/03/03: CIA-RDP80-00809A000500730062-9 Approved For Release 2008/03/03: CIA-RDP80-00809A000500730062-9 RESTRICTED Anglo-Americ+.:.n "oil imperialism" in the Middle East is the key to the problem of Palestine. The U.G. has actively intervened in Greece and China. The "monarcho-fcseist" Greek government is almere puppet of its American masters. Great Britain and Prance, especially the latter, have been reduced to the status of satellites. "Reactionary" ruling groups everywhere are "subservient" to American interests. They are "betraying" the independence and sovereignty of their own nations. American and Roman Italian election. Pro-U.S. majorities in the U.N. are bought or dominated by the U.S. The "unc.nimity principle" in the Security Council is essential, to protect the rights of small nations against U.S.-controlled majorities in the U.N. The U.S. supports French, Dutch, and British Imperialism in Indochina, Indo- nesis, and Malaya. (With the exception of Indonesia and Indochina--which are given very little stress except in broadcasts beamed to Asia--the type of "imperialism" which is attacked is rather diferent from the old colonial form of imperialism. Scarcely any attention, for instance, is given to French possessions in Africa; and the official withdrawal of Europeans and Americans from the Philippines, Cuba., India) Burma, Iraq, Syria, Egypt and Palestine is un5mportant and irrelevant from the standpoint of current Soviet ideology, because it is superficial and represents no withdrawal of actual control. The current Soviet ideology pictures present-day Anglo?-American imperialism as so.aething less open and official; more insidious, and-- necessarily--more difficult to disprove. It presumably operates partly by direct or indirect ownership of economic enterprises, newspapers, etc., and partly by economic and military support to "reactionary" governments against their own "people." Its existence is "proved" especially by such things as the support given by a majority of U.N. delegates to the "flagrant" American intervention in Greece.) 2. They are undemocratic The word "democratic," in the current Soviet ideology, has class connotations which are scarcely distinguishable from those of the word "progressive." It implies social juice far more than it implies parliamentary majorities or civil liberties. Its opposite is "reactionary"; "the forces of reaction" are often said to be opposing "the forces of democracy." In other words, the presumed interests of the working class are, by definition, "democratic." And, since this is true, the meaning of this major theme is closely allied to the meaning of the fourth major theme: "Our enemies are reactionary; they oppose social justice." It should therefore be noted that if the frequencies of1the two themes are combined, they constitute acomposite which is much more frequ:nt than even the "imperialism" theme wh:,~ch has been placed at the head o.L the list. The "people" everywhere--even in the United States--oppose Anglo-American imperialism and the "t~eactionary" governments which support it. The "people" lost the election in Italy, though they "held their gre?r.d" against the forces of reaction. The U.S. everywhere allies itself with "reactionary" or "fascist" elements: Nazis, German monopolists and Industrialists, Franco, Salazar, Greek "monarcho- fascists," the Kuomintang, the Zaibatsu, Syngman Rhee, etc. Elections in Italy, free from coercion and Korea, and elsewhere, and even In the U.B. itself, are not intimidation. In meny countries here is persecution of "democratic elements" (i.e., Communists cnd their allies). Th s reached a climax in the "mass executions" in Greece. Negroes are denied their rights in the U.S. The Mundt-Nixon bilk. is fasRESTRICTED Approved For Release 2008/03/03: CIA-RDP80-00809A000500730062-9 Approved For Release 2008/03/03: CIA-RDP80-00809A000500730062-9 -RESTRICTED 3. Ti~ev err untr th, 1?ul. The :? nrshcll Plr_n, like the Trume.n Doctrine, 1F it deceitful devi^.e to cnrlsve Europe. /,mericr.n clnimr to be dercocretic Pre, rheor hypccriry. r.r;ericnn cl'.imr to be neace-loving are cheer hyoocrixy. U.F. ermamentr, for "defencel' ere actue il;r for ',uroorer of 'ep,,rrer lion. The Voice of Gnericr liesi rlanderF-,jetc. The re'stern pov-ers are breaking promisee mrde at Potsdam. Congre'rsioncl proposals for eliminating. the veto or for regions]. pacts are in violation of the U.N. Charter. The clnime of "right-wingieocialists " (Kevin, Blurs, Fohumecher, :nregot) to be real sociclicto are sheer rind.~w-dressing. The same is true or U.f. labor lerdors, who are serving the interests of Well Street in their efforts to destroy the unity of the V orld Federation of Trade Union-,,. The State Department wout:back on its ova proposal to start P general discussion of ~uesticns in dispute. The cut in EPP shams the "rnliebility" of P.merieen "Dromises." Any nrEertions that the USSR in aggressive are "slander," in the best Goebbels tradition. (Fr,. the take of contrast? the pattern is often varied by Feserting that someone ba; "frankly admitted" or hap been "forced to admit" the truth underlying rll there hypocritical pretensions. For instance, when ?.Scrshall claimed thrt ERP could in the long run benefit the United :'tntes, he aa: said to have"odmitted" the "selfish" same of the Plan. ) 4. 11:ey sere reF'et onarv (_pf,oein! bacial iu9 ee As indicted above, this theme is very closah/ allied with "they are undemocratic." Botb Imply cl: erg--cone oiousness; both assume that the "toiling ,erases," who constitute the ' vast airjority'in every cupitalistination, are now oppressed by the orming minority, the "reactionaries" or "monopolists."! Since the toiling messes are at the sonic time the mr_jority, evezything which carves their interests is else democratic. Pnd, ao indicated above, it should be noted thF?t these two themes in combination are more prominent than any other single theme. In other words, the es~entiel class appeal of the kinrxirn ideology is very much in evidence. On the other hrr..d, it should be especially rioted that most of the older rlarxinn horde And slogans --Communises, revolution, dictatorship of the nroletArint, clues courcinur.neos, clanr conflict, expropriation of the bour;;eoisie-have gone by the board. They continue to a considerable extent in Soviet, Home Service broedcr.sts, but have virtually disappeared From brondccrta to other countries. "ho "class" npneel of present-dry Soviet propPeande does riot differentintr'it In any nay from the vaguely "liberal" or "prorressiv?" view,- of many middle-clrzr? persons in western Europe or Americo. Even loud reform end nationclivation of industry, though both have been explicitly favored in a number of con- toxts, have not been at all prominent as compered with such valve terms :JS "progrescive," "re=ctionr.ry," "monopolist"--uses rr r noun; rich no specific proposalr for combatting monopoly--c c. Such vague lr.b rls is theso oonstitnte 5; fr_r tho'.'_. rger -,art of the v,lue-~1dLrnento.vrl:ich nave bec;i here claaaifiad as repreesnting the theme of ":octal Justice." The U.G. auvnorts 1'r_nr.taon? everyw?khere. "Rer..ction" everyv'here cnnoae.s trade tunion ril hts, inflation-control, liei.t.F+tion of excessive profits, land reform, nrttionalizr.t.on of industry, etc. RESTRICTED Approved For Release 2008/03/03: CIA-RDP80-00809A000500730062-9 Approved For Release 2008/03/03: CIA-RDP80-00809A000500730062-9 25X1 RWRICTED The etnnde ri of living of the ordinary citizen in Rmericr, in view of 'nflation: etc., it nothing like the rosy oicture of it rhich is printed by the Voi?~e of America. 5. They tire uncQopetnjj_%Cg. In thie group there pre not only direct r_ccusotiont of unrooperativeneas, such nr. the r.lleged re uEnl to conduct negotirtiens at the time of the Smith-Molotov exche.nee, but P1Ro r. number of related themes rhich bear upon war and peace without cleerly accusing; anyone of "warmnking" or "warmongering." For example, charges of "militarism" and of hostility to the USSR are also included. This theme was extremely prominent during the weeks after Viohinsky'a "narmanper" speech before the Assembly of the United Nntions in September. Since then, the concentrated attention given to it has definitely subsided, though the terra "instigators of a now watr" is now part of Joscow'e regular stock of epithets, end in likely to be found in elmoet any context. The U.S. refuses to carry on peaceful negotiction with the USSR. The U.:. is undermining the basic principles of the United Notions. Germany and Japan are bein,, transformed into Preencls. The Western Union is a military rllir.nee directed against the Soviet Union. I. virulent: anti-Soviet nronagenda campaign, resembling that of Goebbele, is and tlarshnll htrol-a up the Foreign Winistors Conference in December, The U.#. and Britain have sabotaged the kind .-if Four--Power cooperation Agreed upon at Potsdam. The U.S. is establishing military bnses throughout the world. Military men, working for Wall Street masters, are in control In Washington. The U.S. is re-arming needlessly. (Note: Specific facts about U.S. re-ermamert lire avoided, and the topic itself has not been strewed since Truman'a speech in March. There is also extremely little on the atomic bomb.) 6. They a re war- Wlr j . Financial circ'.e9 which profit from v.'er are in control of the U.S. Government. Hence, the U.S. Gcvernrueut officially condone,; warmongers. The Yestern Union is for purporce of aggression against the USSR and the "new democracies." Western imperialino is responsible for war in Palestine. " (Each of the charges of militarism and unccoperativeness, mentioned above under they are uncooperative," may or may not be linked with charges of outright desire for war.) Although the "falsifiers of history" have tried to make the facts eppo.ar otherwise, World war II was the product of collaboration between Hitler rod the GovErnmente of France and Britain. They "unleashed" the wcr, though they tried to direct Hitler's aggreaeton against the Soviet Union instead of against themselvec. RESTRICTED Approved For Release 2008/03/03: CIA-RDP80-00809A000500730062-9 Approved For Release 2008/03/03: CIA-RDP80-00809A000500730062-9 RESTRICTED' The :'.ir?rshnll Plan involve' burdensome economic condition. The U.". and E3ritein try to eliminate economic competition on the continent of Lurope. Economic conditions in western Germany, southern Korec, and Japan are disastrous. U.E. Insistence on reduction of tariffs in 'western Europe, simply me:vns freedom for U.S. monopolies to take control. Trade with eastern Iurope(which', is strongly encoureg ed 17,,r the USER) hor been discouraged by U.S. influence on the countries of restern f u'rone. It is unwise for western Europe to tie itself to an aconorny like that of the U.S., which is headed for collapse. (Note: this theme, which wr!: heard occasionally in 1947, seems to have almost diseppeered in 1948. Predictions of imminent crisis in the U.F. have also virtually disenneFred since the stock mr_riket drop, and stabilize.tiou, in February. 8. T''e era i2e= ceful. The fact that the first seven themes arelallldenunciationss of the alleged enemies of the USSR, and thrt boasting about the U:'SR and the "new democracies" occupies F. relatively sub- ordinate part in Soviet nropagnndn beamed to foreign audiences, ils in itself of some interest. The Soviet radio npperently on)erates on: !the assumption that "the best. defense is offense." In the Smith-Molotov exchange, the USSR refrffitmned its consistent stand as the chief bulwark of peace in the present-day world. The USER was the chief opponent of Hitler, striving contilnu ,usly for peace thro+^hout all nho.: er of. European history since 1917. The Red Army is a bulwark of peace. Unlike the western noe:ers,l the USSR favors Measures for preventing renered German or Japanese aggression. 9. Our anemias are dirge ber r Germany (and Koreea). A puppet west-German state is being set up in Trizonia; a puppet state Is being set up in Seoul. Unwillingness to cooperate in Four Power control of Germany means the splitting, not only of Germany but of all Europe. The break-down of the London Foreign Minis?ers' Conference in December r-as planned in advance, with the deliberate intention o^ using it as a pretext for going ahead with the dismemberment of Germany. The German People' s Congress for Unity i?nd a Just Per_ce, and the recent "people' initiative," represent a great upsurge of popular protest amain:,t the restern policy of dismemberment. (This csmnaign hne bean given very great einnharis in broadcasts to Germany and Korea, and especially in brow dca__tsl by the Soviet-(*ont,rollec German and Koran radios. It has been soft-pednller= token extreme' degree in broadenst to France.) (In the case of Germany, there is also a prradoxicel_ emphasis on the contention that the western pov'ers are '!building up" Geruany, to the mint where it will again endanger France and other countries The paradox inherent in the simultaneous assertions that Germany is being "dismembered" and "built uri" is never explicitly discussed or clearly resolved.) RESTRICTED 7. They hurt the economy pf other nations. Approved For Release 2008/03/03: CIA-RDP80-00809A000500730062-9 . ti The rignif!`: Soviet Union e tyvi'ca11 1 C.B,.e'E rep in the Sovia~ _ d,. mMr Tthile in th Qf democracy f ea Fte! ~,6r groups area of these k-"'60 The: Thee Thk e Luropel rot include ecessary;IfF.s e: h oreign bra' the home au.!! audiences:' Approved For Release 2008/03/03: CIA-RDP80-00809A000500730062-9 IF REMICT D thing about thie theme is that it rarely a ears in reference. to the ?lf. The cuestion,of civil libertier in ;t a Soviet Union, for instrnce, tired. There are few attempts to mainteiiri at they exist in the U!7PR-! font doer :=pperr, In such forms ae r comatir !Pon betreen univorsel votin; ion end, the disfranchisement of the No eo pr.rte of the United states, it represents only e ruling minority. $ !the mFin, however, aasertionr e Soviet side of the world-conflict refs ~ either to the ^ner' democracies'1 or to the "democratic forces"--i.e., ?to soviet forceP--cd thin the non-! .were so completely obvious as tote beyond dwis now divided into two camps--the carp democracies' are making progress tower cj r",,true democracy." cratic forces throughout the alorld-?-in Chi even in the United States--have gained' in by far the larger part a.ilable sf.mole of Home Broadly, however, it can be are similar to th'oee differ chiefly i that tl achievements rnd on exhortations tol o 'ive Year Plan in four years," and similes foreign broadcasts,. There is also a very hievements of the USSR and of pre-.Soviet cui - vvie . le f th pst= oeo' them, and ho P pd ecientifio Ill m1ajor inventiiol~e and discoveries, etc. inside the Soviet of such .I teri >l- !1 empt to demonstrate that these If the democratic cheracter~ I pI ears in Home Ferviee broad= contain an enormous emphesiIs omic effort. "The fulfillment! RESTRICTED, Approved For Release 2008/03/03: CIA-RDP80-00809A000500730062-9 Approved For Release 2008/03/03: CIA-RDP80-00809A000500730062-9 a - 25X1 1. The U.S. (or its "ruUng camp") is, imperialistic. RESTRICTED II. TILE TIM: 140ST PROt I1fl IIT TILEI,ES WITH It7.GARD TO TAE UNITED STATES A separate estimate of what is most often said epeoifia fly about the United Suites yields tea:, most frequent themes. the estimated order of rd?ieh is 3. Ii. It 1q, undemocratic. It a u uncooperative. 5. It 54. n warmaldng. 6. It it reectioncry (opposed to social ju:;tice) . It it 1i=tin,; the economy of other nr_tians. 8. The '4dembcratic" forces in that U.S. (e.g., Wallace) are etroiu ;, or are gaining in strength. 9. 10. Amseicaa, culture.te decadent. (Un 1,il February) An economic erinir:; is imminent in 1;he U. S. In this context six themes are prominent.. are minor and not sta.tistical:L r slanifioant. This is of course to be erected America is the arch-enemy, ansl propaganda with regn:-d to it-therefore typifie Soviet radio propaganda in gencrel. Some new and interesting ra;ult^i are obteinedj! ho-uever, from a review of xtiati the Soviet radio says about the 1tarn 1 situation in the U.S., an distingaishtkd from American foreign policy. I?Jhcni i:he U.S. Itself rather than the world is taken as the frame of reference, anar:Lca no longer appears as a single entity, list and the more general one oravalcusly presented it usually does in Soviet discussion of world affai=rs. In discussion of world) affairs it is often said that "the U. S."-not "Wall :Street" -- to enslaving Pk 1ope, fostering reaction, refusing to cooperate with the 'USSR, etc.;', the idea that "Wall Street" is the real eulpri? is implicit, but often not explicit. In discuss internal events, however, the id of a constant "struggle" ? between two camp t within the U.S. ?-~ the "people" vs. -tall Street becoi..es both explicit and extremely prominent. It is in fact as all ~iombracing '.n this' context as in the broader context of world politics. In estimated order of frequency,) they RESTRICTED as it igr Approved For Release 2008/03/03: CIA-RDP80-00809A000500730062-9 Approved For Release 2008/03/03: CIA-RDP80-00809A000500730062-9 RE TRKCTED 6. Spe,oif ~ military facts or ideas (e.g.,j mi itar7 stratepr% Soviet mi1it strength, or apeci - rearmament; a ch as the 70-'g~oapi air force.) J~ Approved For Release 2008/03/03: CIA-RDP80-00809A000500730062-9 law, inf ati,,on standard of 1 3. The are "turning Republicans; ;e ce both are "capitalist pasties" and both are Wall Stree 2. Civii,i~berties are rest, ricted. The Thomas committee N 1. The!.,~de6ooratics forces (o.g. Wallaee)l are stro or arefgrowing stronger, 1 in l to of intense pressure from "east bn. It is Flcrays e.ssumed and sometineej Mated that there is no difference between Democrats and IZI. IA3OR oiISSION$ !as tonics especial jstrndnoint of co untie on which the Soviet 5. Merit a race prejudice and discrimination *ainet 1T iois. 6. Asher "bourgeois culture" is decadent. The o'l~d er, more revolutionary Marxian slogans. Home:` , ice broadcasts, but are soft-pedalled special interest from the they presumablyi~ ienrecent points Germany. These persist in in broadc+sts beamed All',con licts which cannot be easily fitted into worldiid.e conflict between Soviet and non-Soviet. eil h' soft-pedalled or denied: Jews vs. Arabs India vs. Pakistan Daziocrats vs. Republicans the The Labor Party vs. Conservatives Blum vs. DeGaulle 5. Ma,ny16er conflicts in which vigorous enemi ,unn ec e s s ari ly. at ern of following l the are mipt make Polish-German frontier (seldom mentioned, though present bot.ndary is trer''t as a clnsed issued when mentioned at'~11) 5-'riels~e i , Other border disputes (Tugoslr.vCaIxinthia, Greeks re. Bulgare, ]Cars and Ardahan, Iranian A2erbaijan) wench and Italian colonial claims Iin Africa. French and Dutchl claims in Iad.ochini and Indonesia 1 11 (soft-pedalled) in broadcasts t oy l~urope) (Yew, if any, atitaoks on relition; monarchy, nationalism, or even private z?r,perty as such) The'. housing problems, education and health problems discuss eearmanent in specific controlled by Irl ,are persecuted. ct 'aft-Hartley " is condoned" (3ut ail. I i or soft-pedalled by the Soviet radio are perMps as 'significant omissions (absolute or relative.)as1e: Comic bomb, and abro i erica into a police state." Wallace supporter less are exploited. 1;xp1oitation I s shown by the