Cold war women: The international activities of American women's organisations

This is an examination of the internationalist ambitions of American women's organisations in the years 1945 to 1960. After World War II, American women believed that they must have a more active role in world affairs, asserting that their internationalism was vital to secure a peaceful future. However, in the emerging Cold War, American women's loyalty to their European sisters was quickly replaced by their loyalty to their nation. This book reveals that in confronting a propaganda campaign from Soviet-backed women's organisations, American women tried to export a vision of the American way of life and of women's proper place within it. Additionally, the author asserts that American women were supported by their government, from advice and direction through to the financial backing of the CIA.