In the Cold War battle for hearts and minds Britain was the first country to formulate a coordinated global response to communist propaganda. In January 1948, the British government launched a new propaganda policy designed to 'oppose the inroads of communism' by taking the offensive against it.' A small section in the Foreign Office, the innocuously titled Information Research Department (IRD), was established to collate information on communist policy, tactics and propaganda, and coordinate the discreet dissemination of counter-propaganda to opinion formers at home and abroad.
Author(s): Dr Andrew Defty
Year: 2007
Language: English
Pages: 312
Book Cover......Page 1
Half-Title......Page 2
Series......Page 3
Title......Page 6
Copyright......Page 7
Contents......Page 8
Plates......Page 9
Foreword......Page 11
Acknowledgements......Page 12
Abbreviations......Page 14
Introduction......Page 17
1 The origins of Britain’s anti-communist propaganda policy, 1945-47The origins of Britain’s anti-communist propaganda policy, 1945-47......Page 42
2 Launching the new propaganda policy, 1948......Page 79
3 Building a concerted counter-offensive: cooperation with other powers, 1948-50......Page 119
4 ‘Close and continuous liaison’: British and American cooperation, 1950-51......Page 160
5 A global propaganda offensive: Churchill and the revival of political warfare......Page 205
6 A new strategy of political warfare......Page 245
Conclusion......Page 269
Bibliography......Page 279
Index......Page 299
