Today's post was written by David Langbart, archivist in the Textual Records Division at the National Archives at College Park. Among the records of the Foreign Economic Administration (RG 169) in the National Archives are microfilms of the files of the USSR Branch of that agency. The records constitute the primary policy and subject files … Continue reading The Resurrection of World War II Lend-Lease Records on the USSR: A Story in Seven Parts
Category: Cold War
An American Car on the Road in the USSR, 1972
Today's post was written by David Langbart, archivist in the Textual Records Division at the National Archives at College Park. The tight restrictions on travelers in the USSR closed more than 97% of that country to most foreigners. The travel restrictions particularly affected diplomats from the Western Powers. Nevertheless, from time to time, staff of … Continue reading An American Car on the Road in the USSR, 1972
Soviet Intelligence in the United States, 1971
Today’s post is written by David Langbart, an Archivist in the Textual Records Division at the National Archives at College Park. The extent of Soviet espionage in the United States was a perpetual question of the Cold War. From the time of the Bolshevik Revolution in November 1917, but especially during the Great Depression, many … Continue reading Soviet Intelligence in the United States, 1971
Cold War Humor, 1953
Today’s post is written by David Langbart, an Archivist in the Textual Records Division at the National Archives at College Park. Soviet leader Joseph Stalin died on March 5, 1953, at 9:50PM Moscow time. First word of his final illness was announced by Soviet authorities a day earlier. The Soviet bulletin announced that Stalin had … Continue reading Cold War Humor, 1953
Nikita Khrushchev’s Memoirs: Fallout?
Today’s post is written by David Langbart, an Archivist in the Textual Records Division at the National Archives at College Park. Three previous posts discussed the publication of the two volumes of memoirs by Nikita Khrushchev, the second volume appearing in mid-1974. The journalist Strobe Talbott served as editor/translator for both books. It appears that Soviet … Continue reading Nikita Khrushchev’s Memoirs: Fallout?
Nikita Khrushchev’s Memoirs: Part III
Today’s post is written by David Langbart, an Archivist in the Textual Records Division at the National Archives at College Park. As noted in a previous post, Little, Brown and Company issued a second set of memoirs in 1974. The book was called KHRUSHCHEV REMEMBERS: The LAST TESTAMENT.[1] Prior to publication of the book, Time … Continue reading Nikita Khrushchev’s Memoirs: Part III
Nikita Khrushchev’s Memoirs: Part II
Today’s post is written by David Langbart, an Archivist in the Textual Records Division at the National Archives at College Park. As noted in the previous post, Little, Brown and Company published the memoir of Nikita Khrushchev, KHRUSHCHEV REMEMBERS, in late December 1970.[1] The question of authenticity of the book was of interest to all … Continue reading Nikita Khrushchev’s Memoirs: Part II
Nikita Khrushchev’s Memoirs: Part I
Today’s post is written by David Langbart, an Archivist in the Textual Records Division at the National Archives at College Park. In November 1970, the world was surprised by the announcement of the upcoming publication of the memoirs of Nikita Khrushchev, deposed leader of the Soviet Union. Time, Inc. reported that it had acquired the … Continue reading Nikita Khrushchev’s Memoirs: Part I
Cuban Missile Crisis, Revisited
Today's post is written by Michael Rhodes, an archives technician in the Archives' National Declassification Center. Fifty years after the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, we are still piecing together the actions of his administration. From the Records of the Office of the Secretary of Defense (Record Group 330), a report – probably one … Continue reading Cuban Missile Crisis, Revisited
Political Sensitivity at the Peak of the Cold War
By Jason Clingerman In February 1963, the United Nations (UN) held the UN Conference on the Application of Science and Technology for the Benefit of the Less Developed Areas (UNCAST) in Geneva, Switzerland. This conference, held at the peak of the Cold War, brought together about 1,600 delegates from 96 countries, including delegations from both … Continue reading Political Sensitivity at the Peak of the Cold War