153. Memorandum From the Director of the U.S. Information Agency (Murrow) to the Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs (Harriman)1

From all indications, Hungary has been adopting changes in the direction of moderation and pragmatism which reflect the interests of the Hungarian people. This tends to make Hungary at present more receptive to Western influence and opens up new opportunities for us. In the light of this development, I should like to suggest that this is a propitious time to modify our policy with regard to a cultural and informational program directed toward that country.

It is our belief that a careful advance in cultural and informational offerings now might further current policy objectives in Eastern Europe in general and in Hungary in particular. If Hungarians are as eager to receive manifestations of the Western world as they seem, such presentations, offered in measured doses, might well represent for them additional incentive to move even more rapidly away from the rigid positions of the past. It would naturally be well to proceed step by step, taking advantage of what appear to be major opportunities, but with watchful consideration for the reaction of articulate minority groups here at home.

We believe a telling program of cultural and informational activity could be directed at the following “target audiences” in Hungary: professional people, managers and technocrats, party and government officials, the intelligentsia, youth and student leaders—those who mold public opinion and influence policy and action. The welcome, but woefully meager, informal activities carried on to date through various private American organizations have been too restricted to touch them more than a little. Only activities of potentially greater impact can have much influence. Without much formalization—we are thinking neither of a publicized effort on our part nor of a cultural agreement with Hungary—we recommend such moves as sending one of our traveling exhibits; distributing at an appropriate time a simple Cultural Bulletin (similar to those we already disseminate in the Soviet Union, in Poland, Romania, and Bulgaria); facilitating the visits of performing artists or athletes; encouraging representative American writers, artists or educators to include Hungary in their planned itineraries.

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For reasons obviously its own, the Hungarian regime seems willing to accept such advances now. We propose therefore that we take advantage of the opportunities while they are offered, under the belief that once a start is made, Hungarian authorities will be under pressure to permit still more. If that is true, then perhaps cultural and information exchange itself will come to represent a bit of extra leverage for the attainment of other things we want from Hungary.

Edward R. Murrow2
  1. Source: Washington National Records Center, RG 306, USIA Files: FRC 72 A 5121, Field-Sov. Bloc/63. Confidential. Drafted by Leslie Brady and Hans Tuch on September 17. Copies were sent to Donald Wilson, Thomas C. Sorensen, Harold C. Vedeler (EUR/EE), Frank G. Siscoe (EUR/SES), and Chargé Owen T. Jones and Leon A. Shelnutt at the Legation in Budapest.
  2. Printed from a copy that bears this typed signature.