--- product_id: 82956559 title: "The Sword and the Shield: The Mitrokhin Archive and the Secret History of the KGB" price: "€ 60.95" currency: EUR in_stock: true reviews_count: 7 url: https://www.desertcart.hr/products/82956559-the-sword-and-the-shield-the-mitrokhin-archive-and-secret store_origin: HR region: Croatia --- # The Sword and the Shield: The Mitrokhin Archive and the Secret History of the KGB **Price:** € 60.95 **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** The Sword and the Shield: The Mitrokhin Archive and the Secret History of the KGB - **How much does it cost?** € 60.95 with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.hr](https://www.desertcart.hr/products/82956559-the-sword-and-the-shield-the-mitrokhin-archive-and-secret) ## Best For - Customers looking for quality international products ## Why This Product - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description The Sword and the Shield is based on one of the most extraordinary intelligence coups of recent times: a secret archive of top-level KGB documents smuggled out of the Soviet Union which the FBI has described, after close examination, as the "most complete and extensive intelligence ever received from any source." Its presence in the West represents a catastrophic hemorrhage of the KGB's secrets and reveals for the first time the full extent of its worldwide network. Vasili Mitrokhin, a secret dissident who worked in the KGB archive, smuggled out copies of its most highly classified files every day for twelve years. In 1992, a U.S. ally succeeded in exfiltrating the KGB officer and his entire archive out of Moscow. The archive covers the entire period from the Bolshevik Revolution to the 1980s and includes revelations concerning almost every country in the world. But the KGB's main target, of course, was the United States. Though there is top-secret material on almost every country in the world, the United States is at the top of the list. As well as containing many fascinating revelations, this is a major contribution to the secret history of the twentieth century. Among the topics and revelations explored are: The KGB's covert operations in the United States and throughout the West, some of which remain dangerous today. KGB files on Oswald and the JFK assassination that Boris Yeltsin almost certainly has no intention of showing President Clinton. The KGB's attempts to discredit civil rights leader in the 1960s, including its infiltration of the inner circle of a key leader. The KGB's use of radio intercept posts in New York and Washington, D.C., in the 1970s to intercept high-level U.S. government communications. The KGB's attempts to steal technological secrets from major U.S. aerospace and technology corporations. KGB covert operations against former President Ronald Reagan, which began five years before he became president. KGB spies who successfully posed as U.S. citizens under a series of ingenious disguises, including several who attained access to the upper echelons of New York society. Review: Poor quality and inadequate refund. - Very poor quality of book. It was sold as 2nd hand/read which is hard to believe as pages were stuck together. I was then only offered 60% of the original cost as a refund. I will not be purchasing from World of Books again. Review: Great!!!! - Very satisfied with the book and the service!!!! ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | Best Sellers Rank | 273,482 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) 138 in Russian Historical Biographies 457 in Espionage Biographies 6,173 in World History (Books) | | Customer Reviews | 4.6 out of 5 stars 417 Reviews | ## Images ![The Sword and the Shield: The Mitrokhin Archive and the Secret History of the KGB - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/7135Pu0hoxL.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐ Poor quality and inadequate refund. *by C***H on 1 July 2023* Very poor quality of book. It was sold as 2nd hand/read which is hard to believe as pages were stuck together. I was then only offered 60% of the original cost as a refund. I will not be purchasing from World of Books again. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Great!!!! *by K***V on 18 July 2020* Very satisfied with the book and the service!!!! ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ A Tour de Force Reveal of the KGB *by K***8 on 2 January 2025* Christopher Andrew’s The Sword and the Shield provides an in-depth examination of Soviet espionage activities based on the Mitrokhin Archive, a treasure trove of classified KGB documents smuggled out of the USSR by Vasili Mitrokhin, a senior KGB archivist who defected to the West. This book is a seminal work in understanding the inner workings of Soviet intelligence during the Cold War, shedding light on the breadth of KGB operations and the ideological zeal that drove its agents. The title encapsulates the dual role of the KGB as both a "sword" of the Communist Party, actively engaging in espionage, subversion, and covert operations, and a "shield" protecting the Soviet regime from perceived internal and external threats. Through meticulous analysis, Andrew reveals the KGB’s successes and failures, offering a nuanced portrayal of its global reach and influence. The book begins with a historical overview of the KGB, rooted in the Bolshevik Revolution and the establishment of the Cheka, its predecessor. Andrew details the evolution of Soviet intelligence, highlighting how its mission was shaped by the paranoia of leaders like Lenin and Stalin. The KGB became an all-encompassing organization tasked with safeguarding the Soviet state while exporting Communist ideology worldwide. The Soviets were particularly successful in infiltrating the top secret Manhattan project and Los Alamos during development of the atomic bomb. The Soviets had stolen complete working plans for the A bomb even before USA dropped it on Japan. Mitrokhin’s documents expose the KGB's hierarchical structure and the significance of its foreign intelligence wing, the First Chief Directorate, responsible for espionage outside the USSR. Andrew demonstrates how the agency’s ideological fervor often blurred the lines between strategic statecraft and ideological adventurism. One of the book’s central themes is the KGB’s extensive infiltration of Western institutions, including governments, media, academia, and even intelligence agencies. Andrew highlights key cases, such as the Cambridge Five in Britain and Aldrich Ames in the United States, to illustrate how deeply Soviet operatives penetrated Western defenses. These successes were often offset by failures caused by defector revelations, mismanagement, over-reliance on ideological recruits, and just plain bumbling. Despite its ability to gather extensive intelligence, the Soviet agencies all too often failed to analyze and interpret it effectively, due to ideological biases in the agencies and in the state leadership much as Stalin earlier dismissed intelligence reports about Hitler's plans to invade Russia in WWII. Andrew also explores the KGB’s attempts to influence public opinion in Western democracies through active measures, including propaganda campaigns, disinformation, and covert funding of Communist parties and anti-establishment movements. It is eye-opening to realize the extent to which KGB has gone through the years to disseminate misinformation, fabrications and lies in attempting to discredit dissidents, western politicians, western values, capitalism and the United States. In fact, I suspect that many of the negative reviews of this book emanated from the FSB, the successor to the KBG. A substantial portion of The Sword and the Shield focuses on the KGB’s activities in the developing world. During the Cold War, the USSR sought to expand its influence in Africa, Asia, and Latin America by supporting revolutionary movements, propping up friendly regimes, and undermining Western allies. The book provides detailed accounts of Soviet involvement in hotspots such as Angola, Afghanistan, and Cuba, revealing both the scale and limitations of KGB operations in these regions. In addition to its foreign exploits, the KGB played a central role in maintaining domestic control within the USSR. Andrew details its campaigns against dissidents, religious groups, and nationalist movements, underscoring the regime’s dependence on surveillance and coercion. The Mitrokhin Archive exposes how the KGB’s pervasive network stifled opposition while creating an atmosphere of fear and mistrust among ordinary citizens. The book concludes by examining the decline of the KGB as the Soviet Union neared collapse. Internal corruption, political infighting, and the inefficacy of its operations in preventing systemic failure eroded the agency's power. Mitrokhin’s defection and the publication of his archive dealt a significant blow to the KGB’s reputation and provided invaluable insights into its methods. Andrew argues that the legacy of the KGB continues to influence Russian politics, particularly under the leadership of former KGB officer Vladimir Putin. The agency's historical impact on the global stage serves as a cautionary tale about the intersection of ideology, state power, and intelligence operations. In The Sword and the Shield, Andrew delivers a masterful synthesis of historical scholarship and espionage history, although there may be too much detail for every casual reader. For example, literally hundreds of spies are identified in the book, and in each case the author provides the various code names and controllers of every individual. By revealing the secrets of one of the most powerful intelligence agencies in history, the book offers a comprehensive perspective on the Cold War’s covert battles and their enduring consequences. ## Frequently Bought Together - The Sword and the Shield: The Mitrokhin Archive and the Secret History of the KGB - The World Was Going Our Way: The KGB and the Battle for the the Third World - Newly Revealed Secrets from the Mitrokhin Archive - Mitrokhin Archive II --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.hr/products/82956559-the-sword-and-the-shield-the-mitrokhin-archive-and-secret](https://www.desertcart.hr/products/82956559-the-sword-and-the-shield-the-mitrokhin-archive-and-secret) --- *Product available on Desertcart Croatia* *Store origin: HR* *Last updated: 2026-05-24*