So a continuation of the Cold War theme, but this time in the form of history. This book relates the surreal, prolonged visit of Soviet premier Nikita Krushchev to the United States in 1959 at the (accidental) invitation of President Dwight Eisenhower.
I have occasionally come across foreign policy types in my professional life. My impression is generally one of smart, agitated individuals who constantly worry about the possibility of "slights", real or perceived, of governments "taking offence", of "signals" and "messages", of perceptions or - at worst - diplomatic "incidents". Somehow, it has always to me a somewhat effete world, with an ethos more suited to a gossipy boarding school than to the real world where things, as we know, can get rather nasty.
Well, this book is a great antidote to that view of foreign affairs, though it is utterly impossible to imagine such an uncontrolled and unpredictable official visit happening in today's security-obsessed and media-oriented world. The book's subtitle is "A Cold War Comic Interlude", and indeed much of this is indeed really funny. Krushchev basically runs amok for ten days, ranging from Washington, to New York, to Los Angeles, to San Francisco, to rural Iowa and back to Camp David. Along the way, he rages, clowns around, hams it up outrageously and famously, on one occasion, blows his top. He encounters American politicians, mega-capitalists, actors and a surprising number of ordinary people. He dines memorably with Frank Sinatra, Marilyn Monroe and Shirley McClaine. Basically, he has a whale of a time. He generally wows his audience of Americans, who, in general, seem far more attracted to him as a celebrity than hostile to him as a Communist dictator.
In the midst of all the fun and games, however, there are constant reminders that this explosive individual controls one of the two great military arsenals in the world, including of course nuclear weapons, not least because Krushchev constantly reminds his audiences of the fact and indeed repeatedly threatens to use them. Was he serious? Maybe not, as the Cuban missile crisis subsequently showed, but his audiences must indeed have looked askance at this funny little fat guy who periodically waves his missiles in the air.
It's a fascinating story, from a fascinating period, and a great read. This is not however a serious history book à la Beevor, researched in obscure archives, but largely reconstructed from press reports and Krushchev's own memoirs. So if you aren't looking for academic rigour but are in the mood for a great real life yarn and easy reading, you'll like this.
Recommendation? You've just had it. I liked it, I think most people with any interest in the period and the characters involved will too.
I have occasionally come across foreign policy types in my professional life. My impression is generally one of smart, agitated individuals who constantly worry about the possibility of "slights", real or perceived, of governments "taking offence", of "signals" and "messages", of perceptions or - at worst - diplomatic "incidents". Somehow, it has always to me a somewhat effete world, with an ethos more suited to a gossipy boarding school than to the real world where things, as we know, can get rather nasty.
Well, this book is a great antidote to that view of foreign affairs, though it is utterly impossible to imagine such an uncontrolled and unpredictable official visit happening in today's security-obsessed and media-oriented world. The book's subtitle is "A Cold War Comic Interlude", and indeed much of this is indeed really funny. Krushchev basically runs amok for ten days, ranging from Washington, to New York, to Los Angeles, to San Francisco, to rural Iowa and back to Camp David. Along the way, he rages, clowns around, hams it up outrageously and famously, on one occasion, blows his top. He encounters American politicians, mega-capitalists, actors and a surprising number of ordinary people. He dines memorably with Frank Sinatra, Marilyn Monroe and Shirley McClaine. Basically, he has a whale of a time. He generally wows his audience of Americans, who, in general, seem far more attracted to him as a celebrity than hostile to him as a Communist dictator.
In the midst of all the fun and games, however, there are constant reminders that this explosive individual controls one of the two great military arsenals in the world, including of course nuclear weapons, not least because Krushchev constantly reminds his audiences of the fact and indeed repeatedly threatens to use them. Was he serious? Maybe not, as the Cuban missile crisis subsequently showed, but his audiences must indeed have looked askance at this funny little fat guy who periodically waves his missiles in the air.
It's a fascinating story, from a fascinating period, and a great read. This is not however a serious history book à la Beevor, researched in obscure archives, but largely reconstructed from press reports and Krushchev's own memoirs. So if you aren't looking for academic rigour but are in the mood for a great real life yarn and easy reading, you'll like this.
Recommendation? You've just had it. I liked it, I think most people with any interest in the period and the characters involved will too.
No comments:
Post a Comment