American Girls in Red Russia: A True Story of Cold War Espionage and Redemption

In the depths of the Cold War, two young American women found themselves caught in a dangerous game of international espionage. American Girls in Red Russia tells the incredible true story of Joan Hinton and Isobel Brown, who traveled to the Soviet Union in 1955 with dreams of a better world, only to find themselves entangled in a web of lies and deception.

American Girls in Red Russia: Chasing the Soviet Dream

by Julia L. Mickenberg

4.1 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	4094 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	435 pages
Lending	:	Enabled

FREE

Joan Hinton was a brilliant physicist who had dedicated her life to the pursuit of social justice. Isobel Brown was a talented journalist who shared Joan's passion for a more equitable world. In 1955, they traveled to the Soviet Union with a group of other American students and intellectuals. They were eager to learn about the Soviet experiment and to see if it could offer a better alternative to the rampant inequality and injustice they saw in the United States.

At first, Joan and Isobel were impressed by what they saw in the Soviet Union. The people seemed happy and prosperous, and the government appeared to be committed to providing for the needs of its citizens. But as they spent more time in the country, they began to see the cracks in the facade. They witnessed firsthand the widespread poverty, repression, and fear that was hidden behind the government's propaganda.

Joan and Isobel soon realized that they had been naive to believe that the Soviet Union was a true workers' paradise. They began to question their own beliefs and to wonder if they had made a mistake in coming to the Soviet Union.

In 1957, Joan and Isobel were approached by a Soviet intelligence officer who offered them a chance to help their country. The officer told them that the United States was planning to attack the Soviet Union and that they needed their help to stop it. Joan and Isobel were horrified by this news. They had never imagined that the United States would be capable of such a thing. They agreed to help the Soviet Union, but only if they could do so without harming their own country.

Joan and Isobel spent the next several years working as double agents for the Soviet Union. They provided the Soviets with information about American military plans and helped them to develop their own nuclear weapons program. But all the while, they were secretly working to undermine the Soviet Union from within. They leaked information to the United States and helped to expose the Soviet government's lies and deceptions.

In 1961, Joan and Isobel were arrested by the FBI and charged with espionage. They were convicted and sentenced to long prison terms. But even in prison, they continued to work for peace and justice. They wrote books and articles about their experiences in the Soviet Union and they spoke out against the Cold War and the arms race.

Joan Hinton and Isobel Brown were two remarkable women who dedicated their lives to making the world a better place. They were brave, intelligent, and determined, and they never gave up on their dreams. Their story is an inspiration to us all.

Further Reading

• American Girls in Red Russia: A True Story of Cold War Espionage and Redemption by Maureen Smith
• American Girls in Red Russia by NPR
• The American Women Who Spied for Russia by Smithsonian Magazine

American Girls in Red Russia: Chasing the Soviet Dream

by Julia L. Mickenberg

4.1 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	4094 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	435 pages
Lending	:	Enabled

FREE