US Public Diplomacy Efforts in Bulgaria around the End of the Cold War, 1970s-1980s

• In Event: Bulgarian National Security and the Fight against Corruption

Abstract

This research investigates the nature and impact of public diplomacy and propaganda efforts employed by the United States across Eastern Europe throughout the Cold War, focusing on the People’s Republic of Bulgaria as a case study. Bulgaria's unique position as a steadfast ally of the Soviet Union (an alliance deeply rooted in a long-standing Russian-Bulgarian “special relationship” built on shared cultural, religious, and political ties forged over a long period of time) makes it an especially compelling subject for understanding the effectiveness of American initiatives in penetrating even the most loyal Soviet satellite states during the era of the Cold War.

Author

• Kristian Kafozoff