Americans and the Peoples of Asia (English-language poster distributed in Asia)
A seven-photo poster over a map of Asia. Each photo carries a caption beginning 'WE WANT', stating aims for Asia: development, self-chosen government, friendly association with the U.S., UN membership, security from aggression, peaceful settlement of disputes, and freedom, health and food. A quoted speech by Assistant Secretary of State Dean Rusk says the U.S. seeks no territories or special privileges. The tell is glittering-generalities, backed by an official's attributed statement.
Propaganda techniques used in this poster
- Date
- December 4, 1951
- Period
- Cold War
- Made by
- U.S. Information Agency (predecessor: State Department International Information and Educational Exchange Program), Propaganda Posters Distributed in Asia series
- Region
- North America
- Country
- United States
- Medium
- Poster
- Issuer type
- State
- Regime
- Truman Administration
- Leader
- Harry S. Truman
- Audience
- Foreign public
- Purpose
- Persuade or win support
- Themes
- Empire and colonialism, War and the military
- Event
- Cold War
- Source
- Identified Openly sourced: the speaker is who they say they are
- Source
- U.S. National Archives (NARA), Record Group 306, Propaganda Posters Distributed in Asia, retrieved October 3, 2026
- Rights
- Public domain (U.S. government work; NARA RG 306)
U.S. Information Agency / Department of State, December 4, 1951. National Archives, Record Group 306 (NAID 5729911, 306-PPA-12).
Text on the object
AMERICANS AND THE PEOPLES OF ASIA . . . WE WANT to see the nations of Asia develop their own resources and lift their standards of living . . . . . . WE WANT to see the peoples of Asia organized and governed by institutions of their own making and by men of their own choice . . . . . . WE WANT to see the nations of Asia in friendly association with the American people and government across a wide range of political, economic, and cultural relationships . . . . . . WE WANT to see the new nations of Asia actively participating as full and equal members of the international community on the basis of agreed principles set forth in such great documents as the charter of the United Nations . . . . . . WE WANT to see the nations of Asia secure from aggression, whether by armed attack or by the insidious methods of penetration and subversion . . . . . . WE WANT to see the nations of Asia settling their disputes among themselves by peaceful means and throwing their full support to the efforts of the United Nations to maintain peace on the basis of law and justice . . . . . . WE WANT freedom for the peoples of Asia, and we want to help them secure for themselves better health, more food, more adequate homes and clothing, and the chance to live their own lives in peace . . . THE things we Americans want for the peoples of Asia are the same things we want for the peoples of the world and indeed, for ourselves . . . "... WE MUST allow no misunderstanding about the nature of our own interest in Asia. We seek in Asia no territories, and no special privileges. We shall continue to support the national aspirations of the peoples of Asia to be free, to determine their own institutions, to select their own rulers, and to regulate their relations with others on the basis of content." (FROM A SPEECH BY DEAN RUSK, ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FAR EASTERN AFFAIRS, BEFORE A REGIONAL CONFERENCE IN AMERICAN FOREIGN POLICY IN PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.) ADAPTED FROM THE FREE WORLD MAGAZINE PUBLISHED BY THE U.S. INFORMATION SERVICE INDIA ... NESIA (nameplates in photograph)
Captions are listed in the order of the photographs from upper left down the strip, then along the bottom strip left to right.
