The U.S. Public Diplomacy. A Historical Review

America's self-portrait as a beacon of freedom, progress, and modernization is central to understand her interaction with the rest of the world. The country's messianic impulse has shaped the foreign cultural action of U.S. private and public institutions alike. This article will explore the development of U.S. cultural relations and public diplomacy, which reached its zenith in the Cold War. Among other things, the article will look at the diverse issues that explain the evolution from "cultural diplomacy" to "public diplomacy". It will also offer a tentative account of the historiography in the field.