— Ch. 1 · Origins And Conception —
Crusade for Freedom.
~4 min read · Ch. 1 of 7
Frank Wisner sat in a Washington office during 1948, drafting plans for the Office of Policy Coordination. He sought ways to implement NSC 20/4, a directive demanding maximum strain on Soviet power structures. The National Committee for a Free Europe formed in May 1949 with backers who needed an independent public image. Abbott Washburn and Nate Crabtree arrived as public relations experts hired to craft that image. They understood the primary goal was public involvement rather than immediate fundraising. Their instructions led them to seek General Lucius D. Clay as chairman after his Berlin Airlift fame. John J. McCloy promised support from West Germany while the Advertising Council joined the effort. These early alliances laid the groundwork for a campaign designed to hide CIA funding behind volunteer enthusiasm.
Eisenhower Launch Speech
General Dwight D. Eisenhower spoke at 11:15 PM EST on Labor Day 194 September 1950. Millions heard his voice across major radio networks defining the ideological battle against Communism. He declared that propaganda was the most insidious weapon used by enemies seeking world control. This address marked the official inauguration of the Crusade for Freedom as a private citizen initiative. The speech text appeared in all major newspapers and magazines like Time and Newsweek. Eisenhower introduced the concept of signing a Freedom Scroll to pledge resistance against tyranny. His words stated that each signature would be a blow for liberty. The broadcast established the campaign's core message of fighting big lies with big truths.