ABSTRACT
In dealing with East-West relations, it is useful to remember that the Soviets regard diplomacy, that is, classic government to government relations between states carried out through the traditional network of embassies, as a minor tool. There were exceptions in the 1930's when both German and Italian governments appear to have adopted Soviet concepts of propaganda. Heavy use of propaganda is an important aspect of traditional Russian culture as well as of its modern Soviet variant. The Soviet political structure firmly integrates the force of propaganda into the broader spectrum of policy instruments such as military force, diplomacy, foreign economic activity, and covert action. Two departments of the Secretariat deserve to be closely watched by those interested in Soviet propaganda: the International Department headed by Boris Ponomarev and the International Information Department led by Leonid Zamyatin. Soviet propagandists are often heard preaching that Leninism rejects terror as a political weapon.
