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Eastern Europe

Bulgaria

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

Eastern Europe

Soviet Union

Intelligence Operations in the Cold War

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Eastern Europe

Czechoslovakia

Aerial view of National Mall

North America

United States

The Palace of the Republic (Palast der Republik) in Berlin

Eastern Europe

East Germany

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Eastern Europe

Todor Zhivkov Collection

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Bulgaria. Ministry of Internal Affairs

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Mitrokhin, Vasili

1922- 2004

Mitrokhin Archive

Jan Nowak-Jeziorański broadcasting for Radio Free Europe, 3 May 1952

Radio Free Europe and Radio Liberty

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Germany (East). Ministry for State Security (Stasi)

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Emir Farid Chehab

Emir Farid Chehab Collection

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Andropov, Yuri Vladimirovich

1914- 1984

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Mielke, Erich

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Poland. Ministry of Internal Affairs

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Truman with Attlee and Stalin at Potsdam

Cold War Origins

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Documents

January 28, 1989	Letter from Liaison Office of the Ministry of State Security at the Ministry of Interior of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam to the Ministry of State Security East German Major Knabe (stationed in Hanoi) requests information on the exact dates of the initial 1964 visits of Vietnamese delegates to East Germany, and notes with concern the required cancellation of collaborative projects due to East Germany’s lack of available funds. Knabe also inquires into the availability of printing presses, polygraphs, and building materials.
January 6, 1986	Letter from Director of Technical Operations Sector Schmidt to Minister of State Security Erich Mielke, Cooperation with the MdI of the SRV The document reaffirms the highest objective at the time: improving requirements technical work in the Vietnamese Ministry of the Interior. The document also recounts successful cooperation in areas of electrical engineering and electronics, precision mechanics, and camouflage.
October 28, 1980	Agreement on the Cooperation between the Ministry of State Security of the German Democratic Republic and Ministry of the Interior the Socialist Republic of Vietnam Agreement includes a commitment to the exchange of political and military information regarding the enemy, including their secret service organizations and any known planned attacks against socialist states. It also includes a number of agreements to fight against the “imperialist states,” including both the US and China, and an East German commitment to supply technical expertise and material support to North Vietnam.
November 8, 1977	Consultation between a Delegation of the Ministry of the Interior of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and Representatives of the XVIII and XX Divisions and of the Ministry of State Security, 18 October 1977 to 7 November 1977 The North Vietnamese delegate summarizes the situation in Vietnam, noting issues with seed importation, unemployment, unknown numbers of militiamen still in hiding, embedded stay-behind CIA units, and widespread counterfeiting. The document outlines other Vietnamese requests for the transfer of information related to the interaction between the East German Ministry of State Security and economic management institutions, the institution of public outreach programs within the Ministry of State Security, and the creation of 5-year plans.
December 6, 1971	Agreement for Support of the Security Services of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam This document includes plans for future negotiations with North Vietnam and support in the form of equipment, expertise, and direct assistance. It also discusses problems associated with the counterfeiting of the newly introduced South Vietnamese ID cards.
1971	Excerpts from the Perspective Plan of the Ministry of State Security (MfS) for the Years 1971-1975 List of policing objectives for the Vietnamese Ministry of State Security--including fighting capitalist ideology, the reconstruction of infrastructure destroyed in the Vietnam War, and the prevention and reduction of crime. Also outlines larger issues requiring interagency cooperation, including work management (comprising mandatory ID cards and the registration of all printers, pharmacists, etc.), education, and curbing “social calamities” (including prostitution, narcotics, and juvenile delinquency).
July 19, 1968	Technical Operations Sector, Deliveries to the Ministry of State Security of the DRV Inventory documenting the shipment of dictation machines, tape recorders, and other devices from East Germany to Haiphong in North Vietnam.
October 5, 1966	Note on a Meeting between Senior Staff of the Ministry for State Security of the DRV and the Ministry for State Security of the GDR East German Minister Erich Mielke and North Vietnamese Minister Tran Quoc-Hoan are the two main speakers. Hoan requests two additional comrades be trained by East Germany in indexing, information on concealment techniques, a small number of infrared binoculars, and “gamma encryption” technology. Mielke states that the technical equipment will be purchased from capitalist countries since they are not available in East Germany.
February 10, 1966	Note on a Meeting of Minister Erich Mielke with Nguyen Minh Tien on 1 February 1966 Notes from a 1966 meeting between Erich Mielke, Nguyen Minh Tien, and several other East German officials. Tien summarizes the results of recent East German/North Vietnam collaboration, including laying the groundwork for the establishment of a Technical Operations Department in North Vietnam and makes several requests, including assistance with training of cadres. Mielke expresses East Germany’s intent to help North Vietnam, indicates that East Germany will buy advanced technology for North Vietnam, and proposes sending OTS (Operational-Technical Sector) and other specialists to Vietnam to learn more about the conflict.
December 14, 1965	Memorandum of a Meeting of Minister Erich Mielke with Nguyen Minh Tien on 13 December 1965 The East German Minister of State Security, Erich Mielke, meets with the head of North Vietnam’s Technical Operations Sector, Nguyen Minh Tien. Tien requests the transfer of expertise from East Germany in a number of different areas, including covert photography, remote surveillance (e.g. “bugging”) and counterfeiting.