Student Scholarship

Document Type

Research Paper

Abstract

This project examines the development and strategic implementation of American participation in international trade fairs. The study highlights a significant shift in United States foreign policy during the 1950s, transitioning from a period of relative absence at these global events to the establishment of a permanent, government-sponsored program. Central to this shift was the recognition of trade fairs as a critical front in the Cold War, where the Soviet Union had already established a dominant presence using vertical exhibits to promote communist ideology and industrial progress. 

The report details the administrative structure of the program, specifically the role of the Office of International Trade Fairs (OITF) within the Department of Commerce. It explains how the program was formalized through Public Law 860, the International Cultural Exchange and Trade Fair Participation Act of 1956, which aimed to strengthen international ties by demonstrating the American economic and social system. This involved a coordinated effort between the Department of Commerce, the Department of State, and the United States Information Agency to select fair sites, develop themes, and manage the psychological impact of exhibits. 

A primary focus of the document is the dual objective of the program: promoting world trade and generating international good will. Through a detailed case study of the 1959 Poznan International Trade Fair, the author illustrates how "Main Street" themes and animated displays of consumer goods were used to counter negative propaganda and appeal to foreign audiences. While the study notes challenges such as limited budgets and the difficulty of measuring long-term psychological effects, it concludes that the program serves as a vital tool for fostering "road paving" business relationships and presenting a favorable image of the American way of life to the world.

Research Highlights

  • The Problem: The United States lacked an official government-sponsored program for international trade fairs until 1954, allowing the Soviet Union to dominate these events as a medium for anti-American propaganda. 

  • The Method: This project analyzes the 1955 creation of the Office of International Trade Fairs (OITF) and provides a case study of the 1959 U.S. Exhibit in Poznan, Poland, titled "Industry in the Service of the Consumer". 

  • Quantitative Finding: In the first year of the program, 12,000,000 visitors across 15 countries saw U.S. exhibits; the 1960 OITF appropriation was $3,411,500; the cost to the government per viewer is approximately $0.30. 

  • Qualitative Finding: Trade fairs serve as a "road-paving" device for international business; success is measured by the ability to enhance foreign relations and demonstrate the "American way of life" through showmanship and animated displays.

Publication Date

1-1960

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License

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