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Soviet Nuclear History

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Eastern Europe

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Nikita Khrushchev Collection

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Soviet Union. Communist Party. Central Committee (CPSU CC). Politburo

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Portrait of Mao Zedong on Tiananmen Gate in Beijing, China, 1972.

East Asia

China

Ukrainian Motherland Monument, Kyiv

Eastern Europe

Ukraine

Ukrainian Nuclear History

Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT)

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Eastern Europe

East Germany

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Germany

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Photograph of John F. Kennedy in 1963

Kennedy, John F. (John Fitzgerald)

1917 - 1963

Nikita Khrushchev at the UNGA, 1962.

Khrushchev, Nikita Sergeevich

1894 - 1971

Sino-Soviet Relations

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Gaulle, Charles de

1890 - 1970

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Sakharov, Andrei

1921 - 1989

Nuclear Proliferation

President Dwight D. Eisenhower

Eisenhower, Dwight D. (Dwight David)

1890 - 1969

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October 1, 1962	Transcript of the Conversation between N.S. Khrushchev and a Gandhi Peace Foundation (India) Delegation On October 1, 1962, N.S. Khrushchev met with a delegation from India’s Gandhi Peace Foundation to discuss nuclear disarmament and ongoing arms negotiations. The delegation presented concerns about nuclear testing and urged the Soviet Union to take unilateral steps toward disarmament. Khrushchev responded that while the USSR was willing to sign an agreement to halt nuclear testing, the United States' refusal to accept verification measures and continued military expansion made such an agreement difficult. The conversation also covered US foreign policy, Soviet-Indian relations, and global security issues.
September 8, 1961	Record of a Conversation Between N. S. Khrushchev and Jawaharlal Nehru, Prime Minister of India In this conversation, Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev discuss the urgent need for disarmament and the global threat posed by nuclear weapons. Nehru stresses the catastrophic consequences of nuclear war and advocates for international efforts to reduce tensions and promote peace. Khrushchev reaffirms the Soviet Union's commitment to peace and disarmament but defends the resumption of Soviet nuclear testing as necessary to deter Western aggression and ensure national security. The discussion also covers recent speeches by Western leaders, the ongoing arms race, and a confidential letter Khrushchev received from US diplomat John McCloy regarding disarmament negotiations, which both leaders agree merits further consideration as a potential path forward.
September 8, 1961	Record of a Conversation Between Cde. N. S. Khrushchev, Chairman of the USSR Council of Ministers, and Portes Gil, Former President of Mexico Former Mexican President Emilio Portes Gil asks Khrushchev about Soviet domestic and foreign policy during a reception in Moscow. Khrushchev articulates the USSR's position that, while committed to peace and total disarmament under strict international oversight, they must continue nuclear testing to defend against imperialist aggression.
September 7, 1961	Memorandum of Conversation of N.S. Khrushchev with the Prime Minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru Nikita Khrushchev and Jawaharlal Nehru discuss global disarmament, the Soviet Union's resumption of nuclear weapons testing, and the ongoing tensions surrounding Berlin. Khrushchev defends Soviet nuclear tests as a necessary response to perceived Western threats and the failure of disarmament talks, asserting that such actions are essential to safeguard the USSR and the socialist bloc. He reassures Nehru that access to West Berlin will remain unobstructed after the signing of a peace treaty with East Germany, though the legal basis would shift from occupation rights to agreements with the GDR. Both leaders emphasize their shared commitment to disarmament, but Nehru voices concerns that continued nuclear testing may derail global peace efforts and delay meaningful progress toward disarmament.
September 6, 1961	Record of the Conversation of the Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the USSR N. S. Khrushchev with the Prime Minister of India Jawaharlal Nehru Khrushchev and Nehru discuss rising global tensions, particularly surrounding the German peace treaty and the status of Berlin. Nehru expresses concerns about the resumption of Soviet nuclear tests, warning of their impact on global opinion and the risk of escalating conflict. Khrushchev defends the tests as a necessary response to Western threats and military buildup. The two leaders are later joined by Ghanaian President Nkrumah to present a collective appeal from the Belgrade Conference, urging peaceful solutions and proposing a summit between Khrushchev and Kennedy to reduce the risk of war. Khrushchev emphasizes the need for global disarmament and greater involvement from neutral nations to pressure the US toward peace, while Nehru advocates for careful diplomacy to avoid further polarization.
July 4, 1961	Summary of N.S. Khrushchev's Speech to Graduates of the USSR Defensive Forces Military Academy on the Question of Signing the Peace Agreement with the GDR Khrushchev addresses graduates of Soviet military academies, emphasizing the strength of the Soviet armed forces and the importance of peace through disarmament and diplomacy. He outlines the need to conclude a peace treaty with Germany to resolve lingering tensions from World War II, criticizing the resistance of West Germany under Chancellor Adenauer and warning against militarization and nuclear escalation. Khrushchev stresses that the Soviet Union seeks peaceful coexistence but will defend its sovereignty if necessary.
August 1961	Record of Conversations between Cde. N. S. Khrushchev, First Secretary of the CPSU CC, and Ho Chi Minh, Chairman of the CC of the VWP Khrushchev and Ho Chi Minh discuss global tensions around imperialism, nuclear disarmament, and peace talks over Germany. They review worsening Soviet relations with Albania and China, as Albania aligns with Beijing and Western powers. The leaders also address the conflicts in Laos and South Vietnam, balancing support for revolutionary forces with concerns over provoking US intervention.
October 21, 1978	Report from M.V. Yegorov, Minister of Shipbuilding Industry of Union of SSR, to the CPSU CC M.V. Yegorov reports that a barge carrying radioactive waste sank.
January 16, 1992	Conversation between the Head of the Chancellor’s Office, Federal Minister Friedrich Bohl, and Russian Foreign Minister Andrei Kozyrev, 15 January 1992, 13.00 Hours Bohl and Kozyrev talk through the potential proliferation of nuclear and chemical weapons after the demise of the Soviet Union. Moreover, they consult on the reduction of tactical and strategic nuclear weapons.
November 25, 1991	The Chancellor's [Helmut Kohl's] Meeting with Russian President Yeltsin on Thursday, 21 November 1991 Kohl and Yeltsin discuss Russia-Ukraine relations, Russian debt and finance issues, the question of Volga-Germans and the release of Honecker from the Chilean embassy.