The Petrov Affair: Politics And Espionage
Condition: SECONDHAND
This is a secondhand book. The jacket image is a photograph of the exact copy we have in stock. This image shows the condition of this book. Further condition remarks are below.
Condition remarks:
Condition: Good. Jacket: Worn/faded - no tears. Page Condition: Good. Markings: No markings. Usual shelf-wear.
In the turbulent political landscape of Cold War Australia, one defection shook the nation to its core — the 1954 defection of Soviet diplomat Vladimir Petrov sent shockwaves through Parliament, tore apart the Australian Labor Party, and thrust the young democracy into the heart of global espionage. Robert Manne's authoritative account chronicles the extraordinary events surrounding Petrov and his wife Evdokia, unravelling the web of Soviet intelligence operations on Australian soil, the role of ASIO, and the political machinations of Prime Minister Robert Menzies, who seized upon the affair to devastating electoral effect. Beyond the cloak-and-dagger drama, this work stands as a landmark study in Australian political history, arguing with precision and conviction that the Petrov Affair was not merely a spy scandal but a defining moment in the ideological battles of the twentieth century. Manne's prose is rigorous yet compellingly readable, drawing on declassified documents and first-hand accounts to reconstruct a story of loyalty, betrayal, and political opportunism. For anyone seeking to understand how Cold War paranoia reshaped Australian democracy, this is essential reading — and its implications continue to resonate.
Author: Robert Manne
Format: Paperback
Published: 1987, Pergamon Press
Genre: Cold war & espionage
Condition remarks:
Condition: Good. Jacket: Worn/faded - no tears. Page Condition: Good. Markings: No markings. Usual shelf-wear.
In the turbulent political landscape of Cold War Australia, one defection shook the nation to its core — the 1954 defection of Soviet diplomat Vladimir Petrov sent shockwaves through Parliament, tore apart the Australian Labor Party, and thrust the young democracy into the heart of global espionage. Robert Manne's authoritative account chronicles the extraordinary events surrounding Petrov and his wife Evdokia, unravelling the web of Soviet intelligence operations on Australian soil, the role of ASIO, and the political machinations of Prime Minister Robert Menzies, who seized upon the affair to devastating electoral effect. Beyond the cloak-and-dagger drama, this work stands as a landmark study in Australian political history, arguing with precision and conviction that the Petrov Affair was not merely a spy scandal but a defining moment in the ideological battles of the twentieth century. Manne's prose is rigorous yet compellingly readable, drawing on declassified documents and first-hand accounts to reconstruct a story of loyalty, betrayal, and political opportunism. For anyone seeking to understand how Cold War paranoia reshaped Australian democracy, this is essential reading — and its implications continue to resonate.