The article discusses how the United States leveraged jazz during the Cold War as a tool for improving its image globally. Initiated by President Dwight Eisenhower's Special International Program in 1956, these efforts included sending 'jazz ambassadors' such as Dizzy Gillespie on international tours to showcase American culture, countering Soviet propaganda. These tours not only highlighted the artistic prowess of American jazz but also addressed racial issues within the U.S., thereby aiding in the country's diplomatic relations and cultural diplomacy, effectively winning hearts without military intervention.
It's been said that the United States won the Cold War without firing a shot, which might surprise veterans of Korea and Vietnam.
One could hardly do better than jazz as an unambiguously American art form to counter Soviet propaganda focused on the U.S.' troubled race relations.
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