Operation RYAN: The Man Without a Face in an Elusive Program
During the early 80s, the world was again on the brink. The diplomatic relations between the East and the West were very unstable. There were a few factors. The Soviets believed the United States was going to start a nuclear attack. A personal element was present, too. Yury Andropov was haunted by the events in Hungary in the 1950s and how the once powerful Communist state began to crumble. Therefore, he justified operation RYAN, or Raketno Yadernoe Napadenie (Nuclear Missile Attack). The whole purpose of the operation was to collect intelligence to prevent a possible attack. In other words, the project was a sort of intelligence operation among the countries of the Iron Curtain, primarily the (former) Soviet Union and the German Democratic Republic as their close ally. The program was initiated in May 1981.
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[Gallery] Art Nouveau Posters Around the World
Art Nouveau is an international style of art, most popular between 1890 and 1910. The style breaks down the traditional distinction between fine arts and applied arts. The new technologies of printing made the graphic arts flourish in the Art Nouveau period. Therefore, take a look at the glamour, modernity, and beauty in our gallery…
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The Art of Flower Gardening – Few Tips from 1889
“A beautiful garden, tastefully laid out, and well kept, is a certain evidence of taste, refinement and culture. It makes a lowly cottage attractive, and lends a charm to the stateliest palace,” wrote Sophia Orne Johnson in 1889, in her manual about flower gardening for the ladies. Here are her tips for mastering this skill and building a good image in the society…
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How did Tito’s Yugoslavia Navigate Between Two Conflicting Cold War Blocs?
It is well known that there were two conflicting superpowers during the Cold War, the East and the West. But there was also a tension effort to create a third power. That effort is called the Non- Alignment Movement. During his rule, Stalin was so powerful that every time he waved his hand, people would vanish. His fellow citizens understood very well that “wave”. More than any Russian tsar ever, Stalin had a tendency to expand to the West and incorporate Eastern Europe into the Soviet zone of influence. Therefore, through his employment of the Communist Information Bureau (Cominform), after the banishment of Yugoslav leader Josip Broz Tito he hoped to see the return of pro-Soviet elements to the leadership of the Yugoslav Communist Party.
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How did Nikita Khruschev Maintain His Control Behind the Iron Curtain?
Nikita Khruschev held a meeting on November 4, 1956, with CPSU party activists. He considered it very important to brief his comrades about the situation. Therefore, describing thoroughly all the events that happened recently was a natural solution.
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