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February 17, 2003

Library of Congress Marks 50th Anniversary of Stalin's Death with Roundtable Discussion March 5

The Library of Congress commemorates the 50th anniversary of the death of Joseph Stalin with a roundtable discussion titled, "The Death of Stalin (March 5, 1953): A Missed Opportunity to Overcome the Cold War?" from 2 to 4 p.m. on Wednesday, March 5, in LJ-119 of the Thomas Jefferson Building of the Library of Congress, 101 Independence Avenue S.E., Washington, D.C. The event is free and open to the public, and no tickets are required.

This is one of a continuing series of programs hosted by the John W. Kluge Center at the Library of Congress. The center brings distinguished scholars from around the world to the Library for varying periods of time to pursue their research using the vast collections of the Library of Congress. The resident scholars also have an opportunity to make presentations about their research and interact with political leaders and other public figures.

In this roundtable discussion, historical "witnesses" and historians will discuss the implications and consequences of Stalin's death on the Cold War policies of the Eisenhower administration and whether his death could have been exploited to arrive at an earlier end of the Cold War.

Roundtable participants who were personally involved at the time-or close to those who were-include Avis T. Bohlen, former U.S. ambassador to Bulgaria (1996-1999) and daughter of Charles Bohlen, U.S. ambassador to the Soviet Union (1953-1957); Robert Bowie, director of policy planning at the State Department (1953-1957); retired Army Gen. Andrew Goodpaster and Abbott Washburn (deputy director of the United States Information Agency, 1953-1961), former advisers to President Eisenhower; Sergei Khrushchev, son of the Soviet leader, Nikita Khrushchev; Raymond Garthoff, CIA analyst; and Susan Eisenhower, the former president's granddaughter.

Historians of the era who will lend their insights to the discussion are Hope Harrison, George Washington University; Mark Kramer, Harvard University; Vojtech Mastny, Woodrow Wilson Center; and Ken Osgood, Florida Atlantic University.

The roundtable discussion was organized by Klaus Larres, the Henry Alfred Kissinger Scholar in Foreign Policy and International Relations at the Library of Congress, who will also act as moderator. The opening presentation will be made by Librarian of Congress James Billington.

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PR 03-023
02/17/03
ISSN 0731-3527

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