The United States Information Agency (USIA) took the lead in the war of ideas between the United States and the Soviet Union following World War II. The Cold War was won because the United States had a better economic system and because the United States had better ideas and values. USIA helped present those ideas and values, and USIA’s public diplomacy campaigns around the world played a major role in that victory. Although USIA is no longer in existence, it is important to reminisce about the origins of its founding and how it has played a role in modern public diplomacy. The lessons of the past ought to be harnessed and presented in a manner that future generations can benefit from the knowledge that has been gained.

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