Near and distant neighbors : a new history of Soviet intelligence

Resource Information

The work Near and distant neighbors : a new history of Soviet intelligence represents a distinct intellectual or artistic creation found in Randwick City Library. This resource is a combination of several types including: Work, Language Material, Books.

Label

Near and distant neighbors : a new history of Soviet intelligence

Title remainder

a new history of Soviet intelligence

Statement of responsibility

Jonathan Haslam

Creator

• Haslam, Jonathan

Author

• Haslam, Jonathan

Subject

• Intelligence service -- Soviet Union -- History
• Military intelligence -- Soviet Union -- History
• Cryptography -- Soviet Union -- History
• Soviet Union -- Foreign relations
• Soviet Union -- Politics and government
• Secret service -- Soviet Union -- History
• Espionage, Soviet -- History

Language

eng

Summary

Near and Distant Neighbours is the first ever substantiated and complete history of Soviet intelligence. Based on a mass of newly declassified Russian secret intelligence documentation, it reveals the true story of Soviet intelligence from its very beginnings in 1917 right through to the end of the Cold War. Covering both main branches of Soviet espionage - civilian and military - Jonathan Haslam charts the full range of the Soviet intelligence effort and the story of its development: in cryptography, disinformation, special forces, and counter-intelligence. In a tragic irony, an organization that so casually disposed of others critically depended upon the human factor. Due to their lack of expertise and technological know-how, from early on the Soviets were forced to rely heavily on secret agents instead of the more sophisticated code-breaking techniques of other intelligence agencies. But in this they were highly successful, recruiting spy rings such as the infamous 'Cambridge Five' in the 1930s. Had it not been for Soviet espionage against Britain's code-breaking effort during the Second World War, Stalin might never have won the victory that later enabled him to dominate half of Europe. Similarly, espionage directed at his allies enabled the Soviets to build an atomic bomb earlier than expected and to take calculated risks in post-war diplomacy, such as his audacious blockade of Berlin which led to the Berlin Airlift

Cataloging source

BTCTA

Dewey number

327.1247

Illustrations

maps

Index

index present

LC call number

JN6529.I6

LC item number

H37 2015b

Literary form

non fiction

Nature of contents

bibliography

Target audience

adult