American cultural diplomacy in Yugoslavia in the 1950s and 1960s: The role of the Rockefeller and Ford philanthropic foundations

In the atmosphere of the Cold War, communist authorities in Yugoslavia considered cooperation with American foundations in fields such as education, culture, and the arts a less sensitive topic than with cooperation with the US government. The Rockefeller Foundation had already been very well known for its presence in Yugoslavia and had serious investments in the health sector since the late 1920s. Its activities in post-war Yugoslavia continued with an additional focus on the social sciences, economics, agriculture, and the supply of books and various other publications. The Ford Foundation began its massive educational exchange program in the late 1950s. Like the Rockefeller Foundation, the Ford Foundation had a significant share in the development of universities and various other institutions in Yugoslavia, which affected the modernization of Yugoslavia. With the help of the Rockefeller and Ford Foundations, the Yugoslavs were allowed to study at prestigious universities in the US, collaborate with elite experts in various fields, visit massive American industries, and develop a vast network of contacts with colleagues in the United States. All these activities of the foundations have made a remarkable contribution to spreading the positive American image in Yugoslavia. This study analyzes the position of American foundations during the early decades of the Cold War and their role vis-à-vis U.S. foreign policy. In particular, this research examines the American philanthropic foundations' involvement in communist Yugoslavia during the 1950s and 1960s and their role in American cultural diplomacy. Keywords: America, Yugoslavia, Cultural Diplomacy, Rockefeller, Ford