Historical Dictionary of American Propaganda - Annotated by Martin Manning & Herbert Romerstein (Hardcover)

About the Book

From the French and Indian War in 1754, with Benjamin Franklin's Join or Die cartoon, to the present war in Iraq, propaganda has played a significant role in American history. The Historical Dictionary of American Propaganda provides more than 350 entries, focusing primarily on propaganda created by the U.S. government throughout its existence. Two specialists, one a long-time research librarian at the U.S. Information Agency (the USIA) and the State Department's Bureau of Diplomacy, and the other a former USIA Soviet Disinformation Officer, Martin J. Manning and Herbert Romerstein bring a profound knowledge of official U.S. propaganda to this reference work. The dictionary is further enriched by a substantial bibliography, including films and videos, and an outstanding annotated list of more than 105 special collections worldwide that contain material important to the study of U.S. propaganda.

Students, researchers, librarians, faculty, and interested general readers will find the Historical Dictionary of American Propaganda an authoritative ready-reference work for quick information on a wide range of events, publications, media, people, government agencies, government plans, organizations, and symbols that provided mechanisms to promote America's interests, both abroad and domestically, in peace and in war. Almost all entries conclude with suggestions for further research, and the topically arranged bibliography provides a further comprehensive listing of important resources, including films and videos.

Book Synopsis

From the French and Indian War in 1754, with Benjamin Franklin's Join or Die cartoon, to the present war in Iraq, propaganda has played a significant role in American history. The Historical Dictionary of American Propaganda provides more than 350 entries, focusing primarily on propaganda created by the U.S. government throughout its existence. Two specialists, one a long-time research librarian at the U.S. Information Agency (the USIA) and the State Department's Bureau of Diplomacy, and the other a former USIA Soviet Disinformation Officer, Martin J. Manning and Herbert Romerstein bring a profound knowledge of official U.S. propaganda to this reference work. The dictionary is further enriched by a substantial bibliography, including films and videos, and an outstanding annotated list of more than 105 special collections worldwide that contain material important to the study of U.S. propaganda.

Students, researchers, librarians, faculty, and interested general readers will find the Historical Dictionary of American Propaganda an authoritative ready-reference work for quick information on a wide range of events, publications, media, people, government agencies, government plans, organizations, and symbols that provided mechanisms to promote America's interests, both abroad and domestically, in peace and in war. Almost all entries conclude with suggestions for further research, and the topically arranged bibliography provides a further comprehensive listing of important resources, including films and videos.

Review Quotes

"Dictionaries are usually dry but useful resources for moments of uncertainty, Martin Manning, a research librarian in the Bureau of Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs at the U.S. Department of State, has created an uncharacteristic volume that tells an intriguing story of U.S. and some foreign propaganda. More than a dictionary, it reads like an encyclopedia and, for those so inclined, is worth reading from front to back....[p]rovides a wealth of information, some of which cannot be readily found elsewhere, and is a useful resource for researchers interested in propaganda's role in American history. Readable and well organized, the book describes some of the world's most influential communication efforts. provides"-American Journalism

?[P]acks in well over 300 entries covering the range of American history as it examines styles, approaches and contents of American propaganda campaigns. From events and publications fostering such propaganda to government agencies and private organizations, hapters provide historical reviews, discussions of mechanisms of propaganda, and bibliographic references for further research.?-MBR Bookwatch

?[S]hould have broad appeal, serving as an accessible cross-disciplinary reference resource for the study of politics, history, media studies, literature, art history, and sociology, as well as general interest.?-Reference Reviews

?Dictionaries are usually dry but useful resources for moments of uncertainty, Martin Manning, a research librarian in the Bureau of Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs at the U.S. Department of State, has created an uncharacteristic volume that tells an intriguing story of U.S. and some foreign propaganda. More than a dictionary, it reads like an encyclopedia and, for those so inclined, is worth reading from front to back....[p]rovides a wealth of information, some of which cannot be readily found elsewhere, and is a useful resource for researchers interested in propaganda's role in American history. Readable and well organized, the book describes some of the world's most influential communication efforts. provides?-American Journalism

?Upper-division undergraduates; graduate students.?-Choice

?A fine acquisition....Recommended.?-Library Journal

?A fine acquisition....Recommended.??Library Journal

"ÝP¨acks in well over 300 entries covering the range of American history as it examines styles, approaches and contents of American propaganda campaigns. From events and publications fostering such propaganda to government agencies and private organizations, hapters provide historical reviews, discussions of mechanisms of propaganda, and bibliographic references for further research."-MBR Bookwatch

"ÝS¨hould have broad appeal, serving as an accessible cross-disciplinary reference resource for the study of politics, history, media studies, literature, art history, and sociology, as well as general interest."-Reference Reviews

"[P]acks in well over 300 entries covering the range of American history as it examines styles, approaches and contents of American propaganda campaigns. From events and publications fostering such propaganda to government agencies and private organizations, hapters provide historical reviews, discussions of mechanisms of propaganda, and bibliographic references for further research."-MBR Bookwatch

"[S]hould have broad appeal, serving as an accessible cross-disciplinary reference resource for the study of politics, history, media studies, literature, art history, and sociology, as well as general interest."-Reference Reviews

"A fine acquisition....Recommended."-Library Journal

"Upper-division undergraduates; graduate students."-Choice

About the Author

MARTIN J. MANNING is a research librarian in the in the Bureau of Public Diplomacy, the U.S. Department of State, which was formerly the United States Information Agency (USIA). There, among other duties, he maintains the Bureau's Public Diplomacy Historical Collection, which was created at the suggestion of the USIA director from 1961-1964, Edward R. Murrow, to answer questions on the history of USIA, its successors, and its functions. This book is an outgrowth of the knowledge the authors acquired from a combined total of over 70 years of research at USIA and in the U.S. Congress.

HERBERT ROMERSTEIN retired in 1989 as the Soviet Disinformation Officer of the USIA.