Free Europe Press issuances, 1951-1956

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Summary

Creators:
Free Europe Press
Abstract:
American propaganda leaflets and bulletins, distributed by balloon to Czechoslovakia, Hungary and Poland. Includes some English-language working material versions.
Extent:
2 manuscript boxes (0.8 Linear Feet)
Language:
In Czech, Slovak, Hungarian and Polish
Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], Free Europe Press issuances, [Box no., Folder no. or title], Hoover Institution Library & Archives.

Background

Scope and content:

American propaganda leaflets and bulletins, distributed by balloon drop over Czechoslovakia, Hungary and Poland. Includes some English-language working material versions.

Biographical / historical:

In the 1950s, at the height of the Cold War, numerous psychological warfare leaflets were prepared by the Free Europe Press (FEP) of the Free Europe Committee. The group worked in cooperation with Radio Free Europe and Radio Liberty, with the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) funding much of the operations.

FEP leaflets were a major part of the post-World War II psychological warfare battle between East and West. The operation sent 590,415 balloons that carried 301,636,883 leaflets, posters, books, and other printed matter from West Germany over the Iron Curtain to Czechoslovakia, Hungary and Poland from August 1951 to November 1956.

These documents urged peasants to refuse to cooperate with collective farms and exhorted Slovaks and Czechs to boycott national elections. They included embarrassing secret memoranda suppressed by Communist governments.

Source: Free Europe Press Cold War Leaflets, Accessed 2012 http://www.psywarrior.com/RadioFreeEurope.html

Acquisition information:
Acquired by the Hoover Institution Library Archives in 2010.
Physical location:
Hoover Institution Library & Archives
Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Access and use

Restrictions:

The collection is open for research; materials must be requested in advance via our reservation system. If there are audiovisual or digital media material in the collection, they must be reformatted before providing access.

Terms of access:

For copyright status, please contact the Hoover Institution Library & Archives.

Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], Free Europe Press issuances, [Box no., Folder no. or title], Hoover Institution Library & Archives.

Location of this collection:
Hoover Institution Library & Archives, Stanford University
Stanford, CA 94305-6003, US
Contact:
(650) 723-3563
hooverarchives@stanford.edu
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