Description
Object description
Russian schoolchild son of Lavrentiy Beria in Moscow, Soviet Union, 1939-1941; officer served with Soviet Intelligence in Soviet Union, 1943-1950 and during Teheran Conference in Iran, 11/1943, Yalta Conference in Soviet Union, 2/1945 and Potsdam Conference in Germany, 8/1945. English translation
Content description
REEL 1 Aspects of period as schoolchild and son of Lavrentiy Beria in Moscow, Soviet Union, 1939-1941: presence of children of German Communists; family discussions; father's opposition towards Soviet invasion of Finland and the Baltic States, 1939-1940; overhearing conversations about Nazi-Soviet Pact, 1939; reaction to German invasion of Soviet Union, 6/1941; how he heard of the German invasion, 6/1941; hearing of Joseph Stalin's reaction to German invasion of Soviet Union, 6/1941. Recollections of period as officer with Soviet Intelligence during Teheran Conference in Iran 1943: background to attending conference; briefing by Joseph Stalin on arrival in Teheran; Joseph Stalin's use of recordings from bugged rooms used by President Franklin D Roosevelt and Prime Minister Winston Churchill.
REEL 2 Continues: information gleaned from bugging President Franklin D Roosevelt; nature of Soviet recording equipment; importance of recordings to Joseph Stalin. Recollections of period as officer with Soviet Intelligence during Yalta Conference in Soviet Union, 2/1945: journey to Yalta and conditions on arrival; how the listening reports were handled; presence of Soviet agents in American delegation; nature of President Franklin D Roosevelt approach during conference; atmosphere during conference; reasons for not holding conference in Casablanca, French Morocco. Recollections of period as officer with Soviet Intelligence during Potsdam Conference in Germany, 1945: changes in American and Soviet policy prior to conference; question of President Harry Truman wanting to delay conference until testing of atomic bomb completed; Joseph Stalin's reaction to being told of atomic bomb.
REEL 3 Continues: changes in Soviet policy between Teheran and Potsdam Conferences; question of Lavrentiy Beria's belief that Soviet Union should not spread Communism and should concentrate on rebuilding economy; relations between Lavrentiy Beria and Joseph Stalin; his impressions of Joseph Stalin; reasons for populace liking for Joseph Stalin; question of Joseph Stalin's attitude towards Korean War; Lavrentiy Beria's attitude towards prospect of Third World War; Soviet knowledge that Americans were going to use atomic bomb on Japan; Joseph Stalin's attitude towards potential threats.