Brain Fuel

In the aftermath of World War II, the U.S. Forces embarked on an ambitious program of “re-education” (in Germany) and “re-orientation” (in Austria) intended to reshape the culture of these nations after the model of American democracy. Rather than overt political indoctrination, the U.S. State Department opted for popular entertainment for its message. Germans and Austrians suddenly found themselves confronted with many strange, new cultural exports such as soap operas, quiz shows (with prizes!), and rock-n-roll music on the radio; baseball and soap box derbies in the schools, as well as a flood of American entertainment films in movie theaters. At the same time, the CIA set up a system of front organizations throughout Europe that employed indigenous artists and intellectuals whose purpose it was to praise Western democracy over Soviet-style government. Although these latter efforts were not revealed until the late 1960s, it created a firestorm of criticism and the strangest of political bedfellows. Featuring many examples from the effort, this presentation will examine efforts that led to the so-called “Coca-Colonization” of Europe, and also look at some of the government’s current media campaigns in foreign lands.