Research Guide: Revolutionary Russia: Home

On August 29, 1949, the first Soviet test bomb, dubbed "First Lightning," exploded in the deserts of Kazakhstan. This surprising international event marked the beginning of an arms race that would ultimately lead to nuclear proliferation beyond the two superpowers of the Soviet Union and the United States.
With the use of newly opened archives, Michael D. Gordin folows a trail of espionage, secrecy, deception, political brinksmanship, and technical innovation to provide a fresh understanding of the nuclear arms race.

The new situation, 1930-32 -- Party discipline in 1932 -- Repression and legality -- Growing tension in 1935 -- The fork in the road -- The face of the enemy, 1936 -- The sky darkens -- The storm of 1937: the party commits suicide -- Ending the terror, 1938 -- Two Bolsheviks. A collection of nearly two hundred formerly top-secret Soviet documents, providing a journey into the unfolding of Stalinist terror in the 1930's.