82. Message From the United States Information Agency to All Principal USIS Posts1
INFOGUIDE:
- International Youth Activities. Reference: State’s CW–8513 of April 24, 1962, “New Emphasis on Youth.”2
SITUATION
We want to increase attention to youth and student audiences. In the past our media and posts have directed many of their activities at young people. Increased attention to this audience is necessary because of (1) the political role of young people in some countries and their role as pressure groups in others, (2) the inroads of communist propaganda and (3) the importance of young people as future leaders.
TREATMENT
We want to show that:
(1) Efforts of non-communist youth movements can be more effective in support of political, economic and social progress than the demagogic appeals of the communists.
(2) The U.S. favors international youth cooperation but opposes the exploitation of young people in the interests of the Sino-Soviet bloc.
(3) The U.S. neither controls nor seeks to control the political orientation or activities of youth movements.
(4) The U.S. favors constructive youth cooperation.
Where communist fronts have an impact among young people, we discreetly expose them and discourage participation.
The media will report on international youth events. You should file suitable material to USINFO for cross-reporting.
CAUTIONS
(1) Some non-communist international youth movements have political or denominational affiliations (e.g., International Union of Socialist Youth, Pax Romana/Catholic/). Such affiliations are evidence [Page 210] of the variety in a world of free choice. In coverage, we emphasize their activities rather than their affiliations.
(2) Many non-communist youth leaders are sensitive to government interference in, or support for, their organizations. They do not wish to be identified as “Western” or “anti-communist,” lest such a label strengthen communist counterefforts or lead to internal dissension. We should be responsive to these sensitivities and avoid the impression that we view a particular event or organization as our instrument.
(3) In some countries, conditions may make it desirable to avoid (a) an open anti-communist stand and/or (b) attribution to the U.S. Here it may be well to emphasize what the U.S. is for, citing U.S. international youth activities, and to suggest alternatives to communist-controlled youth movements.
BACKGROUND
Important in the communist effort among young people are the varied activities of the international youth front organizations. This year communist efforts will climax in the 8th World Youth Festival in Helsinki (July 27–August 5), the 6th Assembly of the World Federation of Democratic Youth in Warsaw (WFDY) (August 10–16) and the 7th Congress of the International Union of Students (IUS) (August 18–27) in Leningrad. The latter two events will be on a smaller scale than the Helsinki Festival and are expected to be more political and organizational in character.
Many bona-fide non-communist international youth organizations are also holding major meetings during the coming months. They include:
(1) World Assembly of Youth (WAY)—4th General Assembly & 9th Council Meeting, Aarhus, Denmark, July 9–24
(2) WAY—3rd World Rural Youth Conference, Lunteren Center near Amersfoort, Netherlands, July 2–9
(3) Coordinating Secretariat (COSEC) of the International Student Conference (ISC)—International Student Congress, University of Laval, Quebec, Canada, June 27–July 8
(4) Pax Romana—World Congress, Montevideo, July 25–30
(5) Pax Romana—Interfederal Assembly, Montevideo, August 1–7
(6) World Federation of Catholic Young Women and Girls, International Seminar, (WFCYWG), Buenos Aires, July 24–31
(7) International Union of Socialist Youth (IUSY)—International Youth Camp, Denmark, July
[Page 211](8) World University Service (WUS)—1962 General Assembly, International Christian University, near Tokyo, August 12–19
(9) International Student Movement for the United Nations (ISMUN)—Annual Conference, Levadhia, Greece, August 25–September 1
(10) NATO Youth Meetings—
(a) Seminar for Youth Leaders, Iceland, June 10–16
(b) Seminar on European Institutions, Oosterbeck, Netherlands, August 13–27
(c) Third Atlantic Conference of Youth Political Leaders, Germany, late September
These events demonstrate the vigor and variety of non-communist international youth movements. While often critical of certain U.S. policies, the non-communist youth movements represent one of the effective bulwarks against communist youth fronts and communist penetration efforts among young people.
- Source: National Archives, RG 306, Office of Plans, General Subject Files, 1949–1970, Entry UD WW 382, Box 117, Master Copies—January–Dec 1962 IOP/823. Confidential. Drafted by Laufer and Pauker; cleared by Ehrman, Glatzer, and McConeghy and in IAL, IAN, and P/PG; approved by Anderson. Pauker initialed for all clearing officials and for Anderson. Sent via pouch.↩
- See Document 79.↩