In the wake of 9/11, the United States government rediscovered the value of culture in international relations, sending cultural ambassadors around the world to promote the American way of life. This is the most recent effort to use American culture as a means to convince others that the United States is a land of freedom, equality, opportunity, and scientific and cultural achievements to match its material wealth and military prowess. In The History of United States Cultural Diplomacy Michael Krenn charts the history of the cultural diplomacy efforts from Benjamin Franklin's service as commissioner to France in the 1770s through to the present day. He explores how these efforts were sometimes inspiring, often disastrous, and nearly always controversial attempts to tell the 'truth' about America. This is the first comprehensive study of America's efforts in the field of cultural diplomacy. It reveals a dynamic conflict between those who view U.S. culture as a means to establish meaningful dialogues with the rest of the world and those who consider American art, music, theater as additional propaganda weapons. This fascinating study reveals that the nation's export of cultural artifacts coincided with the desire to form an identity on the part of a melee of non-state actors long before the 20th century. Skillfully juxtaposing international strategy and domestic inferiority, Krenn shows that in the final analysis there may not be much of a line between cultural and diplomatic history left. A must-read for anyone interested in the chronology of U.S. cultural diplomacy!