exists today. >> you are watching american history tv all weekend every announcer: you are watching american history tv. 48 hours of programming every weekend on c-span3. history ton c-span keep up with the latest history news. week, american history tv's reel america brings you video. is amunist propaganda" film recorded at the pentagon. george allen uses a variety of props and film clips to analyze soviet propaganda.

the topics covered include communist radio broadcast, magazine, books, you festivals and film production. this is about 40 minutes. ♪

♪ >> gentlemen, as you know, mr. allen has been in the thick of the cold war since it's very beginning. you are familiar with his record as a career diplomat and troubleshooter. periodses in critical he was assigned to frontline ambassadorial posts in iran, yugoslavia, india, and greece. he has been assistant secretary of state for the mary's and south africa. in 1948, when congress decided we ought to have an overseas information program on a more or less permanent basis, mr. allen was put in charge. last fall, the president decided that this important activity needed mr. allen again. mr. allen attends meetings at

the cabinet and the national security council. mr. allen, why is everything else the other side says is propaganda while we say what we say is information? propaganda has taken on a very bad connotation. it was originally a perfectly good word, but it brings to people's minds now, the idea of twisting or distorting the truth , or even manufacturing complete falsehood, where as we try in our service output to give as a factual presentation that we can. it is information, and should be labeled as such, and not called propaganda. >> could you give us an example of soviet propaganda as applied to the armed services these gentlemen represent gentlemen

represent? >> i have with me a book today that the soviet government puts out, and it supports training courses of the armed forces of the soviet union. it is called marxist leninism on war and the army. i will read you description of the way it talks about american army officers. it says u.s. armed service officers are corrupt, weak, run by wall street, and [indiscernible] i call that propaganda. >> that applies to all officers of the armed forces. >> do you have a comparable piece of soviet propaganda that apply specifically to the army? >> i would like to show you a film of a meeting of the

american and soviet armed forces at the end of the last war, and you will see how the soviet government, their information service presents this meeting of the two armies. could we have the film? (music) >> lets you are really happened before we see scenes from the soviet film. we are outside at april 26, 1945. at the first official meeting of the american and russian army. the film your thing was made by core photographers of the united states army. albumll see a view of the -- elba river bridge.

the meeting took place to arrange a meeting of corps commanders on the following day. prior to this time, only the crews of the two armies had contact with each other. here are major generals from each side. general reinhardt said " i crossed the river and waited for a short time as the russians thought the meeting was later than 1600 hrs. we discussed the details for meeting the core commanders for the next day. i was impressed with the cordial attitude of the russians." now to the soviet version. [speaking russian] [cheering]

♪

[speaking foreign language] >> now for the soviet proof that our army officers are corrupt. we see our playacting doors -- general play on the doorstep of the decadence. with his lady friend and stockbroker in his office.

this is a literal translation of what they are saving. -- are saying. general, with [indiscernible] what is the market doing? general: our stocks are going. girlfriend: [indiscernible] broker: i am making money like crazy. >> what do the communists have to say concerning the air force? >> i would like for you to listen to a broadcast from moscow on that subject, could we have that soundtrack?

you are tuned in to radio moscow, 25 meter bands on the shortwave and the medium, 216.16 meters. associated press dispatch tells us that an american saber debt accidentally dropped some rockets over florida. the population has been alerted and the city has been warned of danger. this brought to mind a secret report from the medical assistant to the secretary of defense. this made me doubt that the rocket fall was the result of an accident. this report gives us every report for questioning accidents in general. the claims that approximately 70% of the officers are socko -- psycho neurotic.

critical of affairs is among the people doing nuclear patrols. >> and what about the united states navy and marine corps? >> i have a copy here of the soviet newspaper that was published. may 18 this year. it speaks about what is going on in the mediterranean. it says, referring to the united states, over lebanon hangs the real threat of military intervention by the imperialist states led by the united states, the american command has doubled the landing forces attached to the sixth fleet street the imperialists are openly brandishing weapons.

but no matter how the colonists try, they cannot intimidate the people of the middle east and the lebanese people who are depending the freedom and independence of their country. >> that is typical of the statements they are making about the united states navy and marine corps. >> mr. allen, don't the soviets and their propaganda attempt to show that americans are opposed to all the colored races? i felt that particularly when i was serving in the for a test for east in india they try to . make it appear that the americans are the most race conscious people in the world. actually, the experience of people in that part of the world really with americans is the best way to counteract that when

our naval ships or armed services are based in those parts of the world. the integration that takes place in our armed services is the most useful way to combat that type of soviet propaganda. also last fall, we had a magnificent experience with marion anderson went out through the far east in india, making her appearances as an american and speaking to the people about the racial questions in the united states as an american negro. it was an excellent counterweight to that soviet propaganda. >> it might be interesting to

take a look at that. >> this time in german and korea , this is your home away from home. (music) ♪ >> this scene from the soviet

film depicts another army activity for an oriental theater goer. it is the fate of this korean girl to be taken up the hill for a dawn execution. ♪ here is the literal translation of their conversation. the officer says if you surrender even now, the life can be saved. the girl says the daughter of the partisan, even though captured by the americans, is certain that you will pay.

it pains me not to live to see you pay. >> the communist propaganda system, it organization, this must involve quite an elaborate chain of command. i will draw your attention to this chart. the soviet government has gone all out for propaganda, and recently we have seen they have written several letters to president eisenhower. the letters are addressed to the president of the united states, but they are intended to all the world for propaganda purposes, not as a serious document from one government to another. have -- how the soviet government is headed by a small group of people in moscow who run the 200

million people of the soviet union. elements.two the government and the party machine. those are quite separate. the government is merely a bureaucracy. the party machine has the power. they use all the means of communications and contacts with foreign people to spread their propaganda. take, for example, radio, the soviet government, every week, and some 54 languages, sends out 2300 hours of broadcast being to to foreign countries in foreign languages. have me do that in one week? do 70h language, they hours.

they have mass books and publications that they sent abroad in various foreign languages. many of those in the far east are in english, because that is the best ways to reach the intelligent public in those countries. they use films, exchanges, that is exchange of visit. they bring large numbers of indians, egyptians, chinese, greeks anybody else they can get to the soviet union , give them tours and send them to universities in the soviet union. great party congresses of communist parties, they call them together and have a big meetings in moscow.

going back a minute for exchanges -- the soviet union put on one stunt last summer in which they spent more money than the entire united states government does for all of its intelligence and cultural relations for all year, the soviet union had 50,000 students from all over the world brought to the soviet union for the great youth festival. >> 50,000 delegates to the youth festival are brought to moscow. to cure about the soviet version -- the national flag of participating delegations matching their review. ♪

followed by groups displaying their national banner. (music) >> this word is russian for peace. there is kitchen of -- this is the delegate reported to be from the united states. [cheering] >> in keeping with the festivals of theme the russian hosts , release white doves, and age-old symbol of peace.

and the daytime entertainment -- and the daytime entertainment climaxes with a spectacular display of precision formations. (music) >> delegates also sightsee in the kremlin during some of the daylight hours, and this is a ceremony as boys selects the girls by throwing a scarf around them, soviet version of drop the handkerchief. (music) >> some are entertained at the ballet. (music)

>> outside, in the streets, there is entertainment of all kinds. it is back to the stadium for the grand propaganda finale.

>> peace in russia, english and france. mr. outland, what percentage of the people who attend these festivals are communist? we don't have any exact figures on that, but the best we can calculate, of the 50,000 that went to the soviet union festival last summer, we estimate about half of them were non-communist. perhaps i was in greece at the 25,000. time myself, and there were about 200 greek young people who went to the soviet union for that festival. many were just going for the ride. it was a chance to see the

soviet union. as long as the soviet government would pay all the expenses -- in that case, the soviet government took a young man from greece and took him to the soviet union, kept him there for a month in good accommodations, traveling around the soviet union and took them to the finest performances, the opera and so forth, and back to greece, all for the equivalent of $50. they use international fronts which is youth organizations that do not admit they are communist, but they are infiltrated and run by communist hard-core organizations, who throughout communist propaganda throughout the world.

through those means, they throw out their propaganda into the non-communist world. as an example of the way they do, in a totalitarian state such union, they have complete control of all their means of communication. and they can say one thing and the soviet union and an entirely different thing outside the soviet union, or even in two -- two different countries outside the soviet union. as an example, when there was a threat of an attack on syria by turkey, as the syrians claim. the soviet union was telling that to syria, they were broadcasting that in the syrian language to the syrians. but to the turks, they were saying to the turkish people, the americans are forcing you to attack the syrian.

i have a chart that shows the way the soviet union parcels out its radio broadcasting in these many languages in order to get as much of a varied affect as they can. for example, in the low part of the chart it shows how much broadcasting the soviet union does overseas to foreign countries. that is $900 a week. this is the american hours, 730 a week. this is a soviet broadcast just to foreign countries. the other broadcast by european satellite states, travels, gary a, romania they do about the , same amount altogether as the soviet union does. these 317

hours are done by communist china. and 125 hours each week is done by the far east orbit. and then 108 hours are being done by various clandestine radio broadcasters who are situated in one place or another, claiming they are the south korean broadcast, -- they are actually from north korea, but they are claiming they are the south korean broadcast. they use all the satellite countries to be broadcasting outside the communist state as well as the soviet broadcast themselves. >> mr. allen, i was hoping he could and block what he said about the soviet distribution of magazines and books abroad.

i have some figures about publication of the magazine. they are putting out 85 periodicals in 30 different languages. periodicals mean magazines and quarterly reviews. books, they put 100 million books into the free world. >> they usually sell them at very low prices, don't they? >> yes, they usually give them away. >> i was wondering if you discuss the main propaganda themes for the communist today? taken, five just propaganda themes of the soviet union. is the united states puts out the iron curtain's while the soviet union's seeks

closer relationships with everybody. they just want to embrace the world. secondly, they are constantly saying the united states is a warmongering country, that we want to bring around a world war world war while the soviet union wants peace and disarmament. they say that united states capitalism can no longer compete with progress on socialism. they also say the soviet union and its allies also pass the united states in growth and strength, and the united states is fighting a losing battle to maintain it's colonialist hold on asia and africa. >> these are all examples of communist propaganda successes. are there some things they can't

cover up. even if they're highly talented propaganda? >> we have seen about effect on by the soviett prime minister of hungry. there have been tremendous demonstrations in paris, london, and other places by socialists and left-wing people who are terribly annoyed against the soviet union, and it is nothing that their propaganda line can do about it. >> aren't the communist using film a lot in this propaganda field? documentary films and

entertainment films. in the entertainment industry, they have been very active. recently they won and international award. >> i have heard about this film. a film about a girl who was a red army sniper and a boy who is an american officer. they are shipwrecked and fall in love. they have a quarrel over communism and that proves fatal. sea, across the ice, comes the girl a red army prisoner, a her white russian officer. she has killed 40 men with her rifle.

>> burns better than would -- wood. the cross, worn by the man, is another communist identification of the enemy. >> go ahead, forget i am here. >> you first, i will wait outside until you are ready. >> don't be an idiot. the wind is still raging. you are liable to catch your death out there. you and your high and mighty ways make me sick. this is the front line, not the drawing room. go on, what are you waiting for?

anybody would think you are shy. >> the communist girl, eager to fight, now finds her prisoner sick and discouraged. >> the never-ending tide of hatred and death. it is all just a nightmare. >> no one likes it, but it is the price of progress. >> you can have it. as far as i'm concerned, all i want is peace. >> and other words, you don't care if our enemies scheme to destroy us. so long as you can read your book, they can go hang. >> why should i hang the world on my shoulders? what is the world done for me? >> though he opposes communism,

our hero becomes confused. >> there are so many, the russians, the germans, the bolshevik. i say to hell with the lot. i don't care what happens. i'm out of it all and i won't soil my hands again. longer invested. >> please don't be angry. i am sick at heart. let's get away from here. let's go to the caucuses. you are asking me to turn my back on my conscience. to cast aside my obligations, to lounge around on cushion spot with candy bought on the blood of my comrades. >> don't be so melodramatic. >> i should do it like you and pretend it doesn't exist. >> is is that all?

i wonder how you can blow yourself up with so much hot air and forget you are a woman. >> it has been thrust on me like people like you. how dare you think i could so far forget myself and dessert my cause and lie around my house in idleness. >> that is about all i can stand. >> you are sick, i hate you. ♪ [crying]

>> why did i have to fall in love with you? you destroyed my peace of mind. i thought you would understand. you were cleverer than i was. >> don't cry. it will work out. i promise. let's forget. i love you so much. you do love me too? >> mm-hmm. >> i'm sick of waiting to be rescued. >> their love blooms and he embraces communism.

>> if they don't come in the next three days i will commit , suicide. >> where is all the courage i credited you with? >> shows what a demoralizing affect you have on me. [laughter] >> you and your wishful taking, i can only hope i have brought you don't earth a bit. have i? >> you have. >> so you admit you were wrong? >> thanks you i have stopped fussing. it was wrong to think i could go back to my books. there is work to be done. damn me, i'm livid. i am no longer meek and mild. i am a man with a purpose. >> you might at least tell me what it is. >> as i see it, my country needs me more now than ever. idealism must give way to realism. if my future were left in your hands, i dread to think what you would make of it.

by all that is holy -- a sail! a sail! [laughter] [both shouting] >> we have to give them a signal. >> they will come anyway. >> they could be going further east. >> just in case. get that, quick. hurry! >> got it. [gun shots] [both shouting] >> who is it?

>> i'm not sure they're fisherman at all. you had better fire another shot. [gun shot] hooray! come on! hey! >> stop! you're my prisoner. you shant escape again. stop! [gun shot] >> the 41st victim of her rifle, and the title of the picture. >> mr. allen, how can we compete with this communist propaganda in view of the fact that the communist can resort to any deceit, whereas we have to stick to the truth?

>> first and foremost, we should do more of what we have been doing this afternoon. we should recognize soviet topic -- soviet propaganda when we see it or hear it. sometimes it is disguised. most americans do not realize how much is being put out or what it is when they see it. secondly, we must do more ourselves. more counter propaganda, more presenting the story of the united states, the american way of life, the democratic principles that we stand for. this afternoon, we've only considered with the soviets are doing in this field. i don't think we happen holding our hands and doing nothing.

we have not done as much as we should because we americans are not inclined in the propaganda field, but we have realized that it has to be done. we are doing more of it. thirdly, perhaps more importantly, we should do everything that we can to deprive the communists of fertile ground in which to plant propaganda. as far as the government is concerned, government should follow policies which make the united states admired and respected, as much as we can. there are many cases in which we cannot please everybody, but our policies should have a public relations aspect to them. and should win friends. more than that, each individual

american should behave, when dealing with foreigners, in a way that makes foreigners like us as individual americans and respect us. then, these signs will continue. they won't have fertile ground. they won't catch all, if all of us americans, civilian and military, behave in the way that we should. >> thank you, mr. allen, for this interesting discussion. ♪ ♪

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a public service by america's public television companies and is brought to you today by your cable or satellite provider. you are watching american history tv all weekend every weekend on c-span3. to join the conversation, like us on facebook at c-span history. >> next on "american history tv," the autry museum and los angeles hosts a discussion titled "trade is power in north america." three historians with books on the topic explore the ways in which trade is good, like firearms between the newly arrived peoples and native americans had an underestimated influence on the story of american history. this program is about one hour and 15 minutes. >> one note of introduction. since we are here at a museum, which is a slightly different venue than a library or university, i want to put in your mind couple of objects that you can see when you go to the gallery's today.