34. Report Prepared in Research Service, Office of Research and Assessment, United States Information Agency1
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SUMMARY
U.S. standing in science and the exploration of space advanced considerably after the successful completion of the Apollo 11 mission, according to surveys conducted immediately before and after the flight in Great Britain, France, India, Japan, the Philippines and Venezuela.2 Opinion of U.S. military strength rose slightly in three of these countries—Britain, France and Japan—and increased moderately in Manila. The moon landing improved considerably general opinion of the United States in France, but had a barely significant effect in Britain, Japan, or the Philippines.3
More people abroad knew which country had conducted the Apollo 11 mission, and could give the name of the mission or spaceship than recalled such information about the mid-May Apollo 10 flight.4 Practically all those interviewed after the landing knew that the United States had landed men on the moon. At least eight out of ten could name the mission or its craft.
The Apollo 11 moon landing seemed to leave a strong immediate impact upon an overseas audience already generally impressed by the earlier Apollo 10 flight. At least 80 per cent in all surveyed countries were impressed to some degree with the moon landing as a scientific development; 60 per cent or more expressed themselves as being “very” or “extremely” impressed. People everywhere were more likely to judge a manned landing on the moon important after the accomplish [Page 79] ment than before. In France, the percentage who thought it important increased by 24 percentage points (from 47 to 71 per cent). After the mission, the belief that a moon landing would benefit other countries increased by at least ten percentage points in each country, and by as much as 16 points in France and Venezuela. Except in Japan, respondents exhibited a slightly greater interest than before the moon landing in having the U.S. continue its space efforts. At the same time roughly one-half of the sampled populations (somewhat more in France, fewer in India) felt the U.S. should devote more time and money to problems here on earth.
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- Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 293, Agency Files, USIA—Vol. I [Apr 69–25 Feb 70]. Limited Official Use. The report is entitled “Effect of the Moon Landing on Opinions in Six Countries.” Loomis sent three copies of the report to Kissinger under an October 2 covering memorandum, stating: “This clearly indicates the favorable impact of the moon landing on our standing in science and space in the eyes of the general public in key countries. It also shows the almost universal awareness of this American achievement.” (Ibid.)↩
- Germany was included in the survey but is not included in the report since post-Apollo 11 data had not been received at the time of writing. In Britain and France, findings were based on national adult samplings. In India, only literates in four major cities were surveyed. The figures in Venezuela, Japan and the Philippines are based on samplings of adults in the capital cities. Pre-Apollo interviewing was conducted in early July; post-Apollo interviewing between July 25 and August 7. [Footnote is in the original.]↩
- The question was not asked in India or Venezuela. [Footnote is in the original.]↩
- See footnote 2, Document 25.↩