Not to just extol how smart he is---though he is very, very smart. He has an advantage over the average analyst---he was in the KGB from the 1952 to 1961---highly ranked practically from the start due to his brilliance and creativity.
Above all, it is the information he has, and how he has applied it.
I have only read to page 81 of New Lies for Old (1984) and glanced at The Perestroika Deception (1995), but I am overwhelmed. Beyond Suvorov and Pacepa, though congruent with them.
One quick warning---The Perestroika Deception (1995) is only a reproduction of memorandums Golitsyn wrote, and I paid like $30 for it. While I am completely happy with it, I can't recommend it to the general public on a dollar-for-value basis. I don't want to be too negative---it is 248 pages of small print. And of course, it is a later publication.
Nonetheless, most would want to start with New Lies for Old, which costed $14. This is more of a real book--explaining his thinking.
Briefly, Golitsyn says that the years 1953-1957 were a time of tremendous upheaval and vulnerability in the Communist world. From 1948 to 57, there was the famous break between the Soviet Union and Tito---a real event.
In '50-53, there was a real break between Russia and China. I believe Stalin died in 53, if I am interpreting and remembering correctly.
Golitsyn says the breaks with Tito (Yugoslavia) and China were caused by Stalinism---Stalin's attempt to rgidily impose his (the Soviet Union's) will throughout the Communist world.
Golitsyn says (remember, he was there, ranking high in the KGB) that around 1957, everything was all patched up and resolved in the Communist world, due to a new system of local autonomy for all Communist parties outside the Soviet Union. (Clearly, there would have been more autonomy for China than Poland, but I haven't caught him laying that aspect out.)
The question of Stalinism was also resolved---it was terminated. However, it was decided that these issues would be kept going---on a 100% fake basis. All Western intelligence agencies missed this completely---in part because they were all penetrated by the Soviets! In addition, Golitsyn says that the dissident movement in Russia was a KGB operation---utilized to control society by constantly bringing in anyone who really wanted to rebel and dealing with them easily---cause most of the dissidents were KGB agents.
He makes the same charge (in Perestroika) about the Tienemen Square movement being controlled by the Chinese government. Eyewitness accounts provide various evidence. Demonstrators sang the Internationale, signs proclaimed obedience to the Communist government.
Apparently, things went "out of control" when real protesters started spontaneously entering the demonstration. At this point, according to eyewitness reports, the original demonstrators joined hands and, singing the Internationale, walked from the square, leaving the new spontaneous demonstrators there alone. These were then massacred.
In addition, Golitsyn predicted in writing, years before the Chechyn outbreak, that the Soviets would stage a fake Chechyn rebellion.
I am overwhelmed by Golitsyn.
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Bumparoony
Definitely paranoid.
The expression is "the proof of the pudding is in the tasting", not "the proof is in the pudding". The latter is meaningless.
Extremely interesting. Thanks.
I would add to this little summer reading list, the following, quite rare, books:
1. "We Will Bury You" - Jan Sejna
2. "Icebreaker" = Viktor Suvrorov
3. "The ABM Treaty Charade" - W. L. Lee
It is interesting that at least the French were convinced that Golitsyn knew what he was talking about. He broke the news that the French SDECE was infiltrated by the "Sapphire Ring". His information led to the arrest of Georgi Paques in 1963. However, the French potentates allowed the "big fish" in the SDECE to get away.
I read a bio on Angleton. Fascinating man.