Russian Studies Chapters

For about 70 years of its long history, Russia was part of the Soviet Union. Explore before-and-after stories about the country and its people, writers, artists, culture, rulers and worldwide influence.

Oliver Powers, father of the downed U-2 pilot, first conceives the idea that his son could be exchanged for Rudolf Abel. In other words: Exchange a sp...

Winston Churchill, Franklin Roosevelt, and Joseph Stalin are allies in the plan to defeat Hitler.

On October 22, 1962, JFK tells the American people about the Cuban missile crisis.

To resolve the missile crisis, America removes obsolete missiles in Turkey but replaces them with missiles on nuclear submarines.

Berlin is caught in the conflict that erupts and the Russians erect the Berlin Wall to divide the city.

Experts view U-2 photographs and notice a Russian truck convoy in Cuba.

Cuba's air force shoots down an American U-2 plane, killing the pilot.

Nicholas' daughters survive the first hail of bullets because the gems sewn into their clothing provide some protection from the bullets.

K-19 suffers a potential nuclear meltdown from cracks in the primary cooling tube.

Legend says when Ivan sees St. Basil he is overwhelmed with its beauty and orders the architect be blinded so the cathedral can never be outdone.

DNA and skeletal evidence prove that human remains which are found belong to the Romanov family and their staff.

Dostoevsky gets into serious trouble when he reads, then copies, a censored work; he goes to prison for this alleged crime.

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