Cold war a tragedy and three acts which just came out today. Scott will be in conversation with the editor at the magazine we would like to thank all of our supporters and everyone for their outpouring of love and the bookstore. We also are offering Curbside Pickup scheduled to resume this coming saturday so you can order the book and pick it up starting again on saturday and you can have it mailed to you and we can get the book in the mail to you wherever you are. We are happy to be able to bring the series virtual we have to make the world a better place. We hope you enjoy this and that you support Scott Anderson and and purchase a copy for you and all of your friends. This helps us to be a better bookstore so thank you all so much for your support. I am the coordinator of the books and help produce the hundreds of events we will be taking questions from the audience and we will get to those events. Be sure to be notified about all of our fantastic virtual events. From the best selling author of lawrence in arabia a history of the early years of the cold war the cia covert battles against communism and the tragic consequences that still affect america and the world today. At the end of world war ii the United States dominated the world militarily, economically and in the moral standing. Over tire and he and a champion of freedom but it was clear to some of the soviet union was already executing the plan to expand and implement around the world. The American Government strategy in response provides the secret efforts of the newly formed cia. It chronicles the exploits and the charming former football star fallen on hard times and a wealthy family to show the sophisticated brilliant and executive. Democratically elected governments in an act of betrayal and skeptical and with a Major International bestseller and with the ravages of the cold war. The cia in despair because of the duplicitous destructive to veto also the story how the United States how they managed to personally damage the moral standing in the world. The mostly being vivid beautifully observed book with how the United States lost during the cold war. By focusing to instill a larger of the unmistakable moral hazard that is one hell of a book with espionage and Scott Anderson is the author including lawrence of arabia and International Bestseller in the correspondent for new york magazine. And then as work at publications vanity fair with a Nonfiction Book about the illfated 19th century arctic explanation. Im so happy and proud to welcome our author. So please help me to celebrate scott and give them a hearty round of applause for the quiet americans. Thank you so much. Maybe a couple of decades that you cover . And then by focusing so first of all how did you do this approac approach . I grew up in east asia and then these dictatorships and then to grow up with that. You want to explore that and writing and to come to the conclusion in the mid 19 fifties. And in 1944 talk about world war ii and that it would be a terrible democracy and then go to 1956 and now the United States pray for the maintenance. And part of that arc of history. And then to be on the front lines. And with the arms race for Michael Bergman used to and there are two fine people and then there are 25 potential people to focus on. Because of the proverbial in the attic and to be 97 years old the last surviving member of the caa in the cold war. And you are writing the history and the mustve been very hard to find writing stories and second of all the cia must have had to put the story the memoir in particular so talk about that. Yes. There is censorship but that tends to be fairly accomplished and then the page that has been redacted sometimes and then the name that was redacted and then to be triangulate that information with those topsecret meetings and those memorandums but in the case of michael he wrote the autobiography the has to go to the review board but all the best part have been exiled bad the cia official said with the uncensored manuscript and sure enough went to Boston University and there was the unredacted manuscript and those that could have made phillips would have been a great one and in that case i believe you spoke to one other 90 yearold i forget his name but was a tough to agree to talk about this or was he waiting for someone. Guys who are still around it may not have been but he was the station chief. At the end of world war ii through 1952. And with ground zero during those years. So what was that like . And just told me that meant to be utterly clueless on clueless going up against the soviets and then to a fine art and when peter showed up to become the covert operations chief in 1945 peter headed up and just turned 24 and that is what we were up against and he told the story in 1946 and with the German Military offices. And typical german arrogance they were not concerned and to talk about how one night when guy disappeared and within 2448 hours it was everybody. And six or seven years later. And the kgb throughout that. So that america never did so that they are winging it. So the kgb with those get smart levels. Is that still the case to have your ducks in a row of the inheritors of the kgb . And with the consequences or the continuation of the. That you are talking about . I think so. And even before world war ii happened that absolutely we would be adversaries. And the americans were slow. And then to imagine the Wartime Alliance these were two crucial years that essentially while the soviets were taking over eastern europe. That is one thing but the soviets and with the espionage so then you will come across the effect of those of the russian or soviet agents. And sometimes one guy could rat out one dozen. Not that they cannot be coldblooded but you dont sacrifice. You make the case of that mentality and then first the paranoia that it takes is there any exaggeration to say the kgb and the soviets at the beginning is an extension. Absolutely added to the feelings of paranoia and already we have nobody behind the iron curtain. I had no idea. And in the 1950 they had no mold anywhere near. So on top of that there is a social path and how you never predict if youve ever seen the movie fargo. And with the gardenvariety and i really think and utterly unpredictable. And the cia it has some success in right behind is the psychological warfare and then second of all and he came out to asia at a time and then to just start up in the philippines and to have that concept to rail of the populist. With a population because of decades with corrupt oligarchy. And then as far as insurgency and then to build schools and bridges. There is a huge role and then by 1954. And then the cia director and with the Prime Minister and vietnam and with that bureaucracy and the got so good in vietnam and then to be swept away by the teaching of the military. And that will kill of any intervention in vietnam and you mentioned several other possible exit ramps and in these moments what we could have done differently. And in 1944. And he died three weeks before the end of the war truman comes in and he first meets and he first meets he is smart as hell but i can deal with it. And pretty much wrong on all counts. That he would know how to deal with stalin back where truman to my mind and the others are turning point that in the revolution people rose up in the streets the hungarian military joined and this key moment where khrushchev one night said we have to let somebody go. So then literally the very next day. If the americans were to do anything they would identified. And then to go back in. And with the Eisenhower Administration and encouraging people from eastern europe. And then to talk with such good intentions to be the morally upright and then to negotiate after a while. And they go through some pretty horrible things backing up dictators so do you charge that amendment that you write about . No. I. I think also it has happened it is very gradual. It is a gradual process so in germany the cia there right after the war they stopped working with the German Foreign military Intelligence Officers and then with the nazi party. And then working with bona fide nazi workers and it is a gradual process. And they saw the cold war. This is an existential crisis on having come at me so you that would be wonderful. And then we have to analyze. And then to pass judgment. And and with those decisions that we have to make. One thing we have to talk about the home front in america to the red scare with the professional enemy of the am assisting mccarthy in the witchhunt and then meeting nowhere but you do mention that moment was a schism in American Society that we still see now. With the democrats and republicans before to stand on the question for example the culture his case, soviet spies in america and to determine whether or not your kids were liberal or conservative and basically the way the first schism in this country with the communist conspiracy but your politics went a certain way and if you thought but that history shows that is the case. And politics are inherited. And then to march along in time. For the same people whose children whose grandchildren were against the iraq war voting democrat and the selection so it is the great schism in american politics and then what i wrote about. He was the grand wizard with operations all over the world. And then to become the ex cia director and those investigations and there is a pattern he was investigated by the fbi and that was in the operation but then the kgb was waiting so then they reached support industry should point and the more operations he canceled and then to sponsor the program to go forward and wondering why but to be investigated with the kgb. So the event of what was happening of all things looking over their shoulder. Despite all that and for example the most notorious is what we talked about. And then what they were do. Its kind of funny. And in 1945 that they confessed to to put those special agents with suits and ties and short hair all white, all men. And then to track bona fide. And then they got no convictions. And to get back to the failed attempts at nationbuilding and interference. You mention what happened in the philippines was there any successful American Intervention in politics over nationbuilding around the world . Yes. Its a great question. By the end of the day south korea today but that said and then they didnt become democracy from any pressure the americans put on them and then to work against that in all the places and certainly with a very successful 1954 triggered all those efforts. One last question. If you were to see one of the characters who would you prefer that be about . And it is a tragedy. So to be a comedy i described them as james bond before extraordinarily handsome when he was running this program and those who are operating out of rome and then cafes during the day with those are being and coconspirators. And then the tragedy in the United States all of those stories with the interactions between them it is a fantastic book. And then to read the history of the 20th century. [laughter] we have world war i and then theres only eight left . [laughter] thank you. Now we will remind the audience if you have any questions and a reminder the book is available for sale and your support keeps us going. I want to ask a question because you did mention the continuation of where we are now a little bit. Are there any pages in the playbook from that time that may be should have the in the playbook still but you think ar are . Do you know anything more about that that they are encouraged with the cia . So what is amazing but how much they take up the playbook of the old kgb and then to be bombarded and then they kind of understand based on when we see fresh as the adversarial nation and all those that were deeply concerned and suspicious and then in a roundabout way. So what jumps out at me the parallels. So to listen to the interview fresh air today. And then the story of the woman being killed. I forget we were. And then by 1984 and those countries and then essentially that the Reagan Administration ordered with the death squad and the government were two separate entities. And the capital of el salvador in 1984 and as a boulevard and downtown el salvador. And then the body of the young woman was turned out and then to go back. But then the other two then they drive off. And then with the death squad and then the military comes along. And that what struck me is that i remember thinking how is it the American Government supports another government . And how has that idea and then to be anti trump. But that is a turning point and then to be thinking about what the American Government to be sought after. So my question for both the view is in that time. A writer. I would rather be that. And then have lifetime material. Good answer. And in the twenties and thirties so did you watch how realistic it was . I actually did not watch it. So many times when i mentioned to friends but then obviously to say how many times . But then to understand and then with those normal lives and those are also and indicative ways. But if there is violence and betrayal with the russians secret service. Is there anything you have seen even documentaries that you feel to trey . Is there anything like that in those to come closest and everybody you are living this double life. But he did a series and it is so complicated and work really hard to capture strike is this another question . But you are right that conspicuous life and then mark goldberg. But dining and cafes to plan the albanian coup by night. Thats right and sometimes it is. Especially true and the big historical reasons and then to affect changes and history. And the fact is the cia that they are allowed to see what works. And then from the cia in the 19 fifties that change dramatically. But that is what we are fascinated by but then you mention burke. He lived in new york from world war ii and then he heard the story before at one point he gets a call out of the blue from a guy he was our conversation and will identify what agency he is with. The loss of coordination with the cia. The name of that alone was over 25 years. So he meets with the two guys coming up from washington and new york so then they talk about albania. And in the Southwest Corner of greece and South Eastern Europe we want you to go start a revolution so they are thinking where do i sign . But then has to come up with a cover story albanian americans in rome and then he turns run a loses the money. And the story were to come up i didnt really do much so with this whole movie theme. But as it turns out they are just as selfabsorbed. And then sit around smoking and then a difference god is thinking your sources have to clear anything with the statute of limitations run its course . No. And those that i talk with and then what we talk about that for so long but in the cia and other Government Agencies to put secret and topsecret on everything. And of National Security and then with the manuscript to be described with eisenhower secretary of state then to see the regime. So one year later and basically what they are asking for is a repeat of what happened in europe before and machine guns in the street. But that story that putin took out everything theres no mention of that story so look down the National Security this happened 1964. And protecting that reputation of secretary of state. And dont get me started. So thomas anybody has a quick question . Thank you for doing this event. Happy birthday. And i word be exciting and we have a lot of fans with the expedition type of books. I will be there. Thank you both so much and congratulations on the book and to the audience the book is available for sale. Thank you everyone become the director of the center for National Security. I am delighted today to be joined by author of the book the black panthers declassified