Copyright by Gregory Krauss 2007 - The University of Texas at Austin

Perhaps Lister’s most effective technique was to invite his Socialist friends to
Washington, D.C. on “leader grants” funded by the Department. The document
record suggests that visits by Socialist leaders were quite common. In mid-1962
alone, visitors included Paolo Vitorelli in April 1962; Cesare Bensi in May 1962; 75
and Giovanni Peraccini in October 1962. 76 Lister invited these leaders for discussions
at the State Department 77 and, as noted, he would bring them to the White House to
meet Schlesinger. Lister wrote in 1962 that these White House visits “helped to bring
the Socialists still closer to us.” 78 Socialist leaders claimed to have greatly enjoyed
their visits. In a personal note to Lister on October 12, 1962, Giovanni Peraccini
described his visit to the U.S. as having been “marvelous.” 79
Influence on State Department Policies
Although Lister was successful in improving the U.S. image among Italian
Socialists, he was less successful at winning State Department backing for his policy
preferences. Lister’s primary difficulties were with his superiors at the Embassy—not
necessarily with the Department. On May 4, 1960, he submitted his personal analysis
of the Italian political situation to the State Department. The analysis, submitted
under the title “Despatch 1062,” argued that the U.S. ought to be open to the
possibility of a center-left government in Italy. 80 The State Department’s appraisal of
the memorandum on July 11, 1960 commended Lister for his “resourcefulness and
courage,” calling it “undoubtedly the most extensive examination of the Nenni
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