How Communists Menace Vital Materials was produced in conjunction with a US Congressional report vindicating the Soviet Union for their extension of Communism across continental borders into the Third World. In 1956, when this map was released, Khrushchev was altering international politics by looking outwards to export their leftist views and leave behind an autarchic past. Fear ran rampant through US politicians as the Soviets challenged their monopoly on soft power internationally. This fear was translated onto this map. When you first glance at this projection, the hammer and sickle imply nefarious goals and the six techniques for the red thrust are descriptions of active hostility. This is a propaganda piece by the US hypocritically painting the Soviets as abusers of weaker states for their resources, inciters of civil violence, and manipulators seeking to spread their leftist ideology.
