KGB [antikvár]

INTRODUCTIONbyRobert ConquestThe author has produced a very remarkable book about a very remarkable organization. Much of it consists of a number of vividly told and carefully researched stories of particular KGB actions abroad. Some of these are disastrous failures, being brilliantly countered by the Western intelligence services. In others, extraordinary successes are shown to have been obtainedsuccesses which are a chilling lesson to all citizens of the democratic world.It is clear that the KGB's foreign operatives may be divided into two distinct classes. First, there are extremely well-trained and highly competent professionals, comparatively few in number. In addition to this corps d'élite, there are a vast mass of diplomats, foreign trade representatives, correspondents of the Soviet news agencies, and so forthfor the actual majority of which categories work for the KGB is the main and major employment. These men are often crude and clumsy. Their training is limited. They owe their positions, as often as not, to family and similar connections. Time and time again, they are caught red-handed and expelled from the country in which they are serving. Yet it must not be thought that their effort is totally unproductive. In the first place, their remarkable numbers may help to swamp the limited Western counterintelligence effort. And then, in the nature of things.