The Sword and the Shield, Vasili Mitrokhin
The Sword and the Shield, Vasili Mitrokhin
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The Sword and the Shield
The Mitrokhin Archive and the Secret History of the KGB

Author: Vasili Mitrokhin, Christopher Andrew

Narrator: Charles Stransky

Abridged: 6 hr 28 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 02/23/2000


Synopsis

The Sword and the Shield is a compelling—and historically significant—narrative destined to cast new light on the Soviet era.

About Vasili Mitrokhin

Vasili Nikitich (1922–2004) was a Major and senior archivist for the Soviet Union’s foreign intelligence service, the First Chief Directorate of the KGB, and coauthor of The Mitrokhin Archive: The KGB in Europe and the West, a massive account of Soviet intelligence operations based on copies of material from the archive. The second volume, The Mitrokhin Archive II: The KGB in the World, was published in 2005, soon after Mitrokhin’s death.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Marvin on April 07, 2012

First of all, I'm filled with respect for the dedication it took for Vasili Mitrokhin to painstakingly copy thousands upon thousands of documents, as a KGB archivist, and secretly store them under his home. The trove most assuredly has been of incalculable value to historians and western intelligenc......more

Goodreads review by Michael on December 29, 2015

A very interesting read for those interested in Russian or Cold War history or espionage. This book is very thorough, so be prepared for a long read. The writing style is consistent, so my flagging interest at the midway point in the book was a result of my general lack of interest of the post-Stali......more

Goodreads review by Sara on June 26, 2018

Those poor, hapless KGB agents throwing bombs at Trotsky’s grandson (and missing), getting drunk and losing their microfilm nickels to Brooklyn newsboys, and falling in love so hard they gave up their contacts to the Canadian Mounties. Didn’t expect this to be funny, but it was hilarious.......more

Goodreads review by sologdin on March 06, 2014

whiney mccarthyists given access to secret archives. decent narrative of soviet espionage efforts, including assassinations of monarchists and then Trotskyists. this volume doesn't cover operations such as overthrowing foreign governments, which is the meat of the second volume's allegations.......more

Goodreads review by Erik on October 24, 2020

This volume (1999) continues and substantially recapitulates Andrew's previous 'KGB' (1991). Like the former, Andrew consulted with a former KGB agent, this time with one who had had long-term access to the KGB archives. Both books are histories beginning with the overthrow of the Czar in 1917, the......more