Intelligence Operations in the Cold War
This is a collection of primary source documents that discuss intelligence issues during the Cold War. The documents come from archives in many different Soviet bloc countries. They are mainly decision memorandums, descriptions, agreements, and reports. The collection includes mainly bilateral agreements for cooperation between Communist countries and domestic intelligence reports from Bulgaria. See also the Mitrokhin Archive and the Vassiliev Notebooks. (Image, KGB symbol)
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February 09, 1945
Letter from Special Agent in Charge R. B. Hood to FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover
RKO Pictures Incorporated requested that the Department of Justice inform then whether a proposed organization for the exchange of American and Soviet films would be required to register under the Foreign Agents Registration Act.
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October 26, 1945
Defense Ministry Intelligence Report on the Domestic Political Situation in Bulgaria
A Defense Ministry intelligence report on the domestic political developments for the month of September, 1945. The report presents the activities of the Fatherland Front government, the efforts of the opposition to discredit Fatherland Front’s policies; the acts of industrial sabotage of armed resistance groups; the work of foreign propaganda and the latest incidents in the armed forces.
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November 28, 1945
The Interrogation of Niels Bohr
At the end of October 1945 two NDVD employees of the “S” Department for atomic intelligence activities were sent to Denmark to establish contact and speak with Niels Bohr. They managed to meet Bohr at his institute twice, on 14 and 16 November 1945, and obtained answers to 22 questions on constructing a nuclear reactor and the atomic bomb.
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July 04, 1946
Report from DS Chief in Sliven Region on Disclosed Military Conspiracy
A report on the investigation of a political conspiracy, said to be organized by Metodiy Chavdarov, a colonel at the Sliven garrison. The arrested colonel and his accomplices allegedly conspired to overthrow the Fatherland Front government, once the Soviet troops leave the country.
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October 31, 1946
Report from Bulgarian Intelligence on the Situation in Austria, Switzerland, Italy, and France
A report on the political climate in Western Europe and the activities of the Bulgarian communities abroad. The author concludes that since a new war seems imminent, the diplomatic and intelligence apparatus needs to be overhauled and old cadres dissmissed.
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January 26, 1948
Letter from Assen Georgiev to Bulgarian Foreign Minister V. Kolarov on Bulgarian Intelligence Activity in France
The head of the Bulgarian legation in Paris Asen Georgiev shares his observations for the inefficiencies in the Bulgarian intelligence apparatus. He recommends a number of measures that will potentially improve the intelligence operations abroad. As a first step he suggests sweeping personnel changes.
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January 21, 1953
VGU Information on Activities of the Swiss, Belgian, Dutch and Swedish Intelligences Services
Report on the intelligence activities of some Western governments in Sofia. The report identifies the main areas of interest of the foreign intelligence services, names of some agents and names of collaborators.
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June 19, 1953
Polish Ministry of State Security Action Memoranda, to Regional Branches Outlining Steps to be Taken to Limit Spillover of Events in East Germany
The Polish Ministry of State Security orders all district heads to take measures to limit spill-over effects of the East German uprising. Regional offices are instructed to increase surveillance of ethnic Germans and “revisionist” elements.
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June 19, 1953
National Security Council Report, NSC 158, 'United States Objectives and Actions to Exploit the Unrest in the Satellite States'
Recommendations adopted by the National Security Council at the suggestion of the Psychological Strategy Board on covert actions to be undertaken in the Soviet Satellite States. Authorized by the National Security Council, NSC 158 envisaged aggressive psychological warfare to exploit and heighten the unrest behind the Iron Curtain. The policy was endorsed by President Eisenhower on June 26, 1953.