Near and Distant Neighbors, Jonathan Haslam
Near and Distant Neighbors, Jonathan Haslam
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Near and Distant Neighbors
A New History of Soviet Intelligence

Author: Jonathan Haslam

Narrator: Shaun Grindell

Unabridged: 14 hr 55 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Tantor Media

Published: 09/30/2015

Synopsis

Previous histories have focused on the KGB, leaving military intelligence and the special service—which specialized in codes and ciphers—lurking in the shadows. Drawing on previously neglected Russian sources, Haslam reveals how both were in fact crucial to the survival of the Soviet state. This was especially true after Stalin's death in 1953, as the Cold War heated up and dedicated Communist agents the regime had relied upon—Klaus Fuchs, the Rosenbergs, Donald Maclean—were betrayed. In the wake of these failures, Khrushchev and his successors discarded ideological recruitment in favor of blackmail and bribery. The tactical turn was so successful that we can draw only one conclusion: the West ultimately triumphed despite, not because of, the espionage war.

In bringing to light the obscure inhabitants of an undercover intelligence world, Haslam offers a surprising and unprecedented portrayal of Soviet success that is not only fascinating but also essential to understanding Vladimir Putin's power today.

About Jonathan Haslam

Jonathan Haslam is the author of several books, including No Virtue Like Necessity, Russia's Cold War, and The Vices of Integrity. Jonathan is the George F. Kennan Professor in the School of Historical Studies at the Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton. He is also a fellow of the British Academy, a fellow of Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, and Professor Emeritus in the History of International Relations at Cambridge University. He has been a visiting professor at Harvard, Yale, and Stanford, and is a member of the Society of Scholars at Johns Hopkins University. He lives in England.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Oleksandr

This book is an attempt to describe the history of Soviet intelligence and counter-intelligence, from creation of the Cheka to the fall of the USSR. It is based to a large extent on new Russian sources in addition to the more ‘classical’ western sources. I haven’t read any other similar studies on th......more

Goodreads review by Daniel

A comprehensive review of Soviet intelligence - while there are a number of interesting anecdotes scattered throughout, this is generally not a book for the uninitiated (like myself). The acronyms and names are very difficult to keep track of, and the book comes across as a series of short vignettes......more

Goodreads review by Scott

(3.5 Stars) This books attempts to explain the history of Soviet Intelligence, from the Russian Revolution to the collapse of the USSR. The work is very readable as it covers the history. There is a lot of personal drama and personal conflicts, with names that some may know, and others that people m......more

Goodreads review by Elena

O istorie complicată și destul de greoaie a serviciilor de informații sovietice. Pentru un subiect atât de complex, evident că nici istoria nu putea fi una simplă. Cartea e bine documentată, chiar dacă uneori este copleșitor de plină de detalii. Cartea e super interesantă dacă vreți să înțelegeți de......more

Goodreads review by Alistair

This is a highly detailed, immersive and wonderful exploration of Soviet intelligence and its performance over the decades. The book goes into a lot of detail, with the author breaking it up along key themes in Soviet intelligence history. The main trap with this book is it is not a simple or easy re......more

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