USU and Point Four in Iran: Beginnings of Point Four
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Beginnings of Point Four
“His Favorite Chef” political cartoon from the Herald Journal: [Click image to enlarge.]
(MSS 284, Box 26, Folder 1)
In the years following World War II, the United States began to fear the powerful force of Communism. In an attempt to save supposedly vulnerable nations from falling victim to communism, the United States instituted several new government programs to bring aid. It was from this that the Point Four Program was created.
Point Four was introduced by President Harry Truman in 1949 during his inaugural address. It was an initiative designed to provide “technical assistance” to poor countries—thereby promoting their economy and staving off communist influences.
This program was one of many to be unified under the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 and become part of what is now the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
“What Can America Do to Help Iran” report by L. M. Winsor: [Click image to enlarge.]
(MSS 98, Box 15, Folder 13)
Group of Iranian children exposing their bellies
(P0429 02:06:31)
As an expansion of foreign policy, the program would go on to have tremendous public support, but it lacked priority on a federal scale. The budget was paltry in comparison to other foreign aid, such as the Marshall Plan. Thus, the program operated on a low-cost, high-contact strategy. The U.S. sent experts to live and work alongside the people of the host nations.