MINISTRY OF INFORMATION
Home Intelligence Special Report No. 32
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SECRET
Attitude of “younger, more intelligent” people to America and Americans
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16th October, 1942
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Because of certain suggestions that “younger, more intelligent people” night have doubts on the subject of Anglo-American postwar co-operation, Home Division asked us to make extremely discreet enquiries on this subject. Reports have been received from 10 Regions. Intelligence Officers did not always distinguish clearly between attitude to America after the war, and attitude to Americans now. This report therefore covers both points.
Regional reports are unanimous in saying that evidence of any anti-American feeling was hard to find. Here and there individual incidents were the subject of critical comment: “An A.T.S. girl from Halifax is reported to have expressed strong anti-American feeling”- “rowdiness at a dance caused unfavourable comments”. But this type of comment differs in no way from similar criticism made of our own troops.
The following points emerged in varying strength in different regions:-
1. There is, broadly speaking, a lack of
positive
admiration for either American achievements or American institutions. While numerous Anglo-Soviet societies, groups, and study circles have sprung up, there has been no corresponding growth of “Americophile” societies.
2. At the same time, among younger people, there is a considerable demand for inexpensive books about America. University lectures on America have been popular, and the incorporation of American history as a routine curriculum subject at Cambridge has been well received.
3. Younger people are extremely suspicious of attempts to paint America as a “modern Utopia”. Any glossing over of American internal problems (such as Labour, and the Colour Question) is strongly resented.
4. Three types of postwar anxiety, none of them strongly expressed, are mentioned:-
Fear that America may “drift away” once the war is won.
Fear that, on the other hand, we shall be little more than an American colony once the war is over. Discussion on this point is described as “not very serious”.
Fear that we might co-operate with the U.S.A.,
against
the U.S.S.R. On this score, it is said that feeling is “quite ready to become violent” if there were signs of it happening.
5. Where younger people have actually met Americans, feeling is described as being warm and cordial. For example, at Bristol University, where King's College, London is temporarily accommodated, “the students are offering to open all their dances, sport, and other facilities” to U.S. servicemen.
6. Where contact has been confined to seeing American troops in the street, and in public places, there is some criticism on the following points:-
The clothes of American soldiers are “too smart and flashy”; they are “overdressed for real war”.
Their bearing is “sloppy”.
They are too “cocky” and full of themselves, and too keen to “shoot a line”.
It is fair to say that these criticisms are confined to a small minority.
7. There is no conclusive evidence that the Communist Party is trying to build up Anti-American feeling.
