The CIA’s Crusade for Freedom and the Mobilization of Cold War America, 1950-1971

FAIN: FEL-268106-20

Kenneth A. Osgood
Colorado School of Mines (Golden, CO 80401-1887)

Research and writing leading to a book on the history of the U.S. domestic Cold War campaign initially known as the Crusade for Freedom and later the Radio Free Europe Fund.

My study examines the longest-running and most consistent source of political propaganda in U.S. history: the Crusade for Freedom. Seeking to stimulate American patriotism and anticommunist fervor, it permeated American civil society from 1950 to 1971. Though initially created by the CIA, powerful entrenched interests in business, advertising, and the media attached their own causes to the Crusade, as did diverse social and political organizations across American life. This mingling of interests helped further the Crusade’s impact, but it also muddied the waters. Differing groups appropriated the intense Crusade messaging for their own ends, often at cross purposes. I seek to enrich public understanding about how ideas take root in the public sphere, how entrenched interests influence that process, and how seemingly hegemonic ideas are subject to appropriation and contestation. My project engages NEH’s Advancing Civic Education, Standing Together, and Independence initiatives.

Associated Products

Roundtable Discussion: Domestic and International Approaches in U.S. Foreign Relations History (Conference Paper/Presentation)
Title: Roundtable Discussion: Domestic and International Approaches in U.S. Foreign Relations History
Author: Kenneth Osgood, Glenda Sluga, Fredrik Logevall, Nicole Hemmer, Erez Manela
Abstract: Historians discuss different ways in which domestic and international politics intersected in U.S. history.
Date: 06/18/2021
Primary URL: https://shafr.org/system/files/shafr_2021_program.pdf
Conference Name: Society for Historians of American Foreign Relations

Honors 440: Explorations in International Studies & Global Affairs (Course or Curricular Material)
Title: Honors 440: Explorations in International Studies & Global Affairs
Author: Kenneth Osgood
Abstract: This Honors course (offered Fall 2021) explores the history of intelligence and propaganda in the United States, drawing on documents and secondary literature from my NEH-funded research project. Students explore the history of public relations, advertising, intelligence, and propaganda and discover the interconnectedness of these seemingly disparate fields and professions.
Year: 2021
Audience: Undergraduate

Historical Roundtable: American Cold War Propaganda (Article)
Title: Historical Roundtable: American Cold War Propaganda
Author: Kenneth Osgood
Author: Mark Bernhardt
Author: Nicholas John Cull
Author: Karla K. Gower
Author: Michael L Krenn
Abstract: Historians assess the state of the field of research on Cold War propaganda.
Year: 2021
Primary URL: http://history-jmc.com/Home_files/Historiography%20vol.%207.4%20%282021%29.pdf
Access Model: open
Format: Journal
Periodical Title: Historiography in Mass Communication 7:4 (2021)
Publisher: Historiography in Mass Communication 7:4 (2021)

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