July 1961: 'The Challenge of Ideas'

Produced by the Defense Department's Army Pictorial Center for showing to the U.S. military, "The Challenge of Ideas" dramatizes the Communist threat to American ideals and global aims. Actors John Wayne and Helen Hayes are among those giving short testimonials; the film itself is introduced by Edward R. Murrow, the former CBS journalist who in January 1961 became head of the U.S. Information Agency. "The Challenge of Ideas" replaces two more controversial efforts at propaganda: "Operation Abolition" and "Communism on the Map," both of which were removed from the Pentagon's list of approved educational materials.

* Watch "The Challenge of Ideas": @

* Army Pictorial Center site: @

* Watch "Operation Abolition": @

* Time magazine article about "Operation Abolition" (March 1961): @

* More about San Francisco protests (blog post from May 1960 and subject of "Operation Abolition"): @

* Short biography of George Stuart Benson and his role in creating "Communism on the Map": @

* Life magazine article that mentions "Communism on the Map" (February 1962): @

* More about Murrow's "Harvest of Shame" (blog post from November 1960): @

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