Coca-Colonization and the Cold War: The Cultural Mission of the United States and Austria After the Second World War

by Reinhold Wagnleitner

Reinhold Wagnleitner argues that cultural propaganda played an enormous part in integrating Austrians and other Europeans into the American sphere during the Cold War. In Coca-Colonization and the Cold War, he shows that 'Americanization' was the result not only of market forces and consumerism but also of systematic planning on the part of the United States.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Economics, Politics, Political Science

388 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1991

Reviews

[Dolgun · Rating 4 out of 5]

a well crafted discussion about US cultural imperialism after WW II, and another perspective of how important is the exportation of culture in building today’s America. I really appreciated that the author brought up the stereotypes issue because it enriched the knowledge background needed for the rest of the book. It was extremely interesting thinking about this concept of self-colonization, and as dangerous as the idea might sounds, I found myself kind of associating with.
Reinhold Wagnleitner, was Fulbright scholar twice, and he was awarded a Fulbright certificate for increasing mutual understanding. Being a fulbrighter, make him a cultural agent himself, an element of the whole cultural process. some might argue that this background did affect his arguments and writing.

[Laura · Rating 2 out of 5]

Read this for a class. Couldn't stand it. It was meticulously researched but the amount of information was overwelming. It was like reading those begat lists from the Bible only this was about the sheer numbers and facts behind America's post-WWII propaganda efforts in Europe, particularly Austria. Just on and on and on. I get that it's a scholarly book, but it really needed more personality to bring what is an interesting subject to life.