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Aerial view of National Mall

North America

United States

Soviet soldier taking a photograph of another soldier in Red Square, Moscow, 1959

Eastern Europe

Soviet Union

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

East Asia

China

Gyeongbokgung

East Asia

South Korea

Pyongyang photographed in March 20212

East Asia

North Korea

Cuba's National Capitol Building, January 2010.

Central America and Caribbean

Cuba

Executive Committee of the National Security Committee during the Cuban Missile Crisis.

Cuban Missile Crisis

Dr. Syngman Rhee, 1939

Syngman Rhee Era

Press Briefing by Permanent Observer of Democratic People's Republic of Korea to the UN, 7 July 1976.

Inter-Korean Relations

President Ronald Reagan, Vice-President Bush, and oviet General Secretary Gorbachev

United States-Soviet Relations

Sino-Soviet Relations

Cuban Foreign Relations

Dr. Syngman Rhee, 1939

Rhee, Syngman

1875 - 1965

Aerial photograph of CIA headquarters

United States. Central Intelligence Agency

-

Mikhail Gorbachev, 1986

Gorbachev, Mikhail Sergeevich

1931 - 2022

Placeholder image for when a portrait image is not available

United States. Department of State

-

A photo of Henry Kissinger from 1975

Kissinger, Henry

1923 -

Portrait of Mao Zedong from propaganda poster

Mao, Zedong

1893 - 1976

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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.
June 9, 1961	Record of Conversation between N.S. Khrushchev and the President of Indonesia Sukarno Khrushchev informs Sukarno of US intelligence involvement with Indonesian rebels and warns him to remain vigilant, noting similar US activities in other countries. Sukarno acknowledges the threat posed by US intelligence, updates Khrushchev on the internal situation with the rebels, and discusses concerns over figures within his government. At Sukarno's request, Khrushchev also provides an overview of his recent meeting with President Kennedy in Vienna, including discussions on Laos, Berlin, and disarmament.
June 24, 1905	H.R. Rankin, 'Report on [sic.] expedition to “Oasis of Siwa” starting from Mersa Matrouh' In 1905, H.A. Rankin led an expedition from Mersa Matrouh to the Siwa Oasis in Egypt to collect valuable date palm offshoots for export to the United States as part of an early US effort to introduce date farming to arid regions. Though intended as a report on the palm collection, Rankin’s account reads more like a travel narrative, highlighting the hardships of desert travel, encounters with Bedouins, and the hospitality of Siwa’s local leaders. His detailed observations provide a firsthand glimpse into the human and environmental challenges behind the USDA’s agricultural ambitions abroad.
November 23, 1979	From the Journal of A.F. Dobrynin, 'Record of a Conversation with Z Former US Secretary of State Kissinger, 23 November 1979’ In this November 1979 conversation, Soviet Ambassador Anatoly Dobrynin confronted former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger over his increasingly anti-Soviet rhetoric and alignment with Republican hardliners, which Dobrynin criticized as opportunistic and damaging to détente. Kissinger defended his shift as a tactical response to domestic political pressures and his ambitions to return to government, while still insisting he valued stable Soviet-American relations. The discussion also touched on US fears of instability in Saudi Arabia, the strategic implications of Soviet and Cuban involvement in Africa, and Kissinger's belief in the need for a tacit division of global influence between the superpowers.
March 1, 1978	From the Journal of A.F. Dobrynin, 'Record of a Conversation with Z. Brzezinski, Assistant to the President of the US for National Security, 1 March 1978' In this March 1978 conversation, Soviet Ambassador Anatoly Dobrynin and US National Security Advisor Zbigniew Brzezinski discussed rising US concerns over Soviet and Cuban military involvement in the Horn of Africa, particularly its perceived threat to Western oil routes and the stability of Saudi Arabia. Dobrynin rejected Brzezinski’s fears as exaggerated, reiterating that the conflict stemmed from Somali aggression and emphasizing that the Soviet presence supported Ethiopia's defense. The meeting ended with both sides restating their entrenched positions, with the US seeking assurances of de-escalation and Soviet withdrawal, which Dobrynin declined to provide.
January 15, 1975	From the Journal of A.F. Dobrynin, 'Record of a Conversation with Vice President of the United States N. Rockefeller and Secretary of State H. Kissinger, 15 January 1975’ In this January 1975 conversation, Soviet Ambassador Anatoly Dobrynin met with US Vice President Nelson Rockefeller and Secretary of State Henry Kissinger to discuss the state of US-Soviet relations, focusing on discriminatory trade legislation, strategic arms negotiations, and the upcoming Brezhnev visit. Kissinger and Rockefeller expressed shared concerns over congressional interference in foreign policy and emphasized their commitment to preserving détente, while privately assuring Dobrynin that recent US threats of military intervention in the Middle East were strategic posturing to prevent another oil embargo. The meeting also highlighted US plans for long-term energy independence and efforts to sustain diplomatic momentum despite mounting domestic political challenges.
December 18, 1974	From the Journal of A.F. Dobrynin, 'Record of a Conversation with US Secretary of State of the United States Henry Kissinger, 18 December 1974' During a December 1974 conversation between Soviet Ambassador Anatoly Dobrynin and US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, Kissinger expressed frustration over the public release of a Soviet letter amid sensitive trade legislation in Congress. The discussion also covered U.S. and European coordination on the Pan-European Conference and ongoing Middle East negotiations, with Dobrynin warning that US unilateral actions risked undermining broader peace efforts and US-Soviet relations.
February 13, 1961	Record of Conversation between N.S. Khrushchev and the Egyptian Ambassador to the USSR Mohammed Al-Kun As Ambassador El-Kuni bid farewell to Khrushchev, he thanked the Soviet Union for its support of the Arab peoples and the UAR, while Khrushchev expressed hope for continued strong relations, highlighting the Aswan Dam as a lasting symbol of friendship. Khrushchev also privately criticized the UAR's treatment of communists and warned that undemocratic practices could strain relations, while El-Kuni defended the government's actions as necessary for national stability.
March 9, 1982	Record of a Conversation between Cde. L. I. Brezhnev and M. Koivisto, President of Finland In a meeting between Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev and Finnish President Mauno Koivisto on March 9, 1982, both leaders reaffirmed their commitment to the 1948 Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation, and Mutual Aid, emphasizing the strong and stable relations between their countries. They discussed economic cooperation, trade balance adjustments, and the importance of maintaining détente amid growing tensions between the US and the Soviet Union. Additionally, they exchanged views on international security, arms control, and the Madrid Conference, expressing mutual interest in continuing diplomatic collaboration and extending the treaty’s duration.
June 1, 1972	Summary of a Conversation between O. Darusenkov and Comrade Rodriguez O. Darusenkov writes about a meeting he had with Comrade Rodriquez. During the meeting, Darusenkov learned that Castro is uncomfortable with Nixon's recent visit to the USSR, believing that the visit's timing shifts the moral weight of the Vietnam War onto the Soviet Union. Darusenkov also explains that Soviet comrades should publicly greet Castro upon his arrival.

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