Office of the Historian

Hickerson–Murphy–Key files, lot 58 D 33, “9th General Assembly Session”

Memorandum by the Deputy United States Representative at the United Nations (Wadsworth) to the Assistant Secretary of State for United Nations Affairs (Key)

[New York,] June 10, 1954.
  • Subject:
  • Possible General Assembly Item on Communism—the New Colonialism

It has been suggested to Cabot that one subject which might be exploited during the 9th General Assembly is “Communism—the New Colonialism”. He likes the idea and thinks it would be worthwhile for the Department to study the possibility of having it as a new item.

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If such an item were debated in one of the political committees, it would give us an excellent counter to the Soviet Big Lie that the United States is the number one colonial power.

Equally, it would afford the Delegation the opportunity to underline the imperialistic character of the world communist conspiracy, showing that the peoples’ democracies are simply colonies which are compelled to adjust to the military and economic desires of the imperial power in Moscow. The item would also permit us to point out that national communist parties represent a form of colonization—strictly controlled and submissive to the policies of Moscow and dedicated to the overthrow of their own national governments in order to install a form of government designed by and submissive to Moscow.

In view of events in Southeast Asia and related matters, you might want to consider the merits of having such an item. I understand the matter was discussed June 8 by the OCB Working Group on the United Nations, which is chaired by Harold Moseley.1

Any thinking the Department has on the above will be appreciated by Cabot.2

  1. This was the Working Group on the United Nations of the Operations Coordinating Board, an arm of the National Security Council. This working group was activated initially in June 1953 pursuant to a decision of the Psychological Strategy Board “in order to give Ambassador Lodge the psychological support he desires”, at the Eighth Regular Session of the General Assembly. Documentation of the OCB is in the S/S–OCB files, lot 62 D 430. With specific reference to the subject at hand, relevant documentation is in folders “Soviet Imperialism & Communist Conspiracy” and “UN General Assembly”.↩
  2. Marginal notation by Assistant Secretary Key: “I trust that conclusions will be reached at an early date on this suggestion.”↩