Press Releases: Office of the Historian, Bureau of Public Affairs: Release of Foreign Relations of the United States, 1917-1972, Volume VIII, Public Diplomacy, 1969-1972
Media Note
The Department of State released today Foreign Relations of the United States, 1917–1972, Volume VIII, Public Diplomacy, 1969–1972.
This volume documents the public diplomacy efforts of the Richard M. Nixon administration during Nixon’s first term in office. A major emphasis of the volume is the role the United States Information Agency (USIA) played in presenting U.S. foreign policy objectives to the world during a time of social change within the United States and how USIA attempted to reach new audiences, specifically young adults. The volume chronicles the development of new structures within USIA, including the Young Officers’ Policy Panel. It also illustrates how USIA and the Department of State pursued public diplomacy against the backdrop of the Vietnam War, the President’s 1972 trip to China, and the 1972 Moscow summit meeting. Additional documentation chronicles the Department of State’s cultural exchange activities, including the administration of the Art in Embassies program and the Cultural Presentations program.
This volume was compiled and edited by Kristin L. Ahlberg. The volume and this press release are available exclusively on the Office of the Historian website at https://history.state.gov/historicaldocuments/frus1917-72PubDipv08. For further information, contact history@state.gov.