Theodore Streibert

"USIA Director Theodore C. Streibert speaks on the purposes of the agency. Maps and charts show the range of Soviet influence and propaganda campaign. A Soviet newsreel shows biased scenes of the U.S. Communist posters and agitators incite anti-American demonstrations. A still picture shows President Eisenhower watching as Director Streibert takes oath of office. USIA gives worldwide distribution by radio and printed media of President Eisenhower's address to leaders of the American press, and information centers sponsor libraries, lectures, concerts, motion pictures, and discussions. American aircraft combat a locust plague in Iran, the Coast Guard Cutter Courier operates as a radio relay station, a Polish refugee explains the effectiveness of the Voice of America, and Russian Army tanks quell an East Berlin riot. USIS films show Milton Eisenhower's tour of Latin America, a music festival in Tanglewood, MA, and charts summarize USIA activities and purposes" (US National Archives).

A short documentary film introducing, explaining, and justifying the Cold War-era propaganda and public diplomacy agency, the US Information Agency (USIA). Through a staged scenario in which the agency's director, Theodore Streibert, meets with a group of citizens curious to see how their tax dollars are put to work, the film shows USIA operations--including film screenings, magazine distribution, libraries, and Voice of America radio--all throughout the world.