Elvis vs. Lenin: A Superpower Confrontation on Canvas

An exhibition in Berlin examines the differences, and surprising confluences, between Cold War-era paintings from the United States and the Soviet Union.

A Journey Along the River That Separates Russia From China

As he neared 80, the travel writer Colin Thubron took a trip along the 10th longest river in the world, chronicled in “The Amur River.”

France, Striving for Global Power, Still Struggles to Get It

Though often seen as vanity or pique, France’s assertiveness abroad is calibrated to manage a quandary it has faced since World War II: how to act as an independent power while depending on allies.

Ida Nudel, ‘Angel’ to Soviet Jews Seeking to Flee, Dies at 90

During the Cold War, she fought for the rights of others and waged a 16-year fight of her own for an exit visa to Israel. She finally won in 1987.

Did Nazis Produce These Uranium Cubes? Researchers Look for an Answer.

Determining whether the cubes were produced by Nazi Germany could lead to more questions, such as whether the Nazis could have had enough to create a critical reaction.

Igor Oistrakh, Soviet-Era Violinist (and a Son of One), Dies at 90

His father, David, was one of the 20th century’s finest violinists, but Igor more than held his own as a musician and interpreter performing throughout the West.

How Will the Taliban Govern? A History of Rebel Rule Offers Clues.

Insurgents who seize power tend to be authoritarian but pragmatic, desperate for legitimacy and ruthless toward classes they see as hostile.

The Truth Has Not Always Been Out There

Rather than explaining when U.F.O. sightings were really just top-secret planes, the government has sometimes allowed public eagerness about the possibility of aliens to take hold.

The Truth Has Not Always Been Out There

Rather than explaining when U.F.O. sightings were really just top-secret planes, the government has sometimes allowed public eagerness about the possibility of aliens to take hold.

Opinion | The Freeing of the American Mind

Louis Menand discusses how art, culture and ideas from the Cold War period have shaped America.

In Vietnam, the Pentagon Papers Are History Written by the Defeated

The Vietnamese have released no equivalent to the papers, but they have relied heavily on the originals.

The Secrets and Lies of the Vietnam War, Exposed in One Epic Document

With the Pentagon Papers revelations, the U.S. public’s trust in the government was forever diminished.

Was the Space Program Worth the Cost?

Jeff Shesol’s “Mercury Rising” explores the careers of John Kennedy and John Glenn as a way to cut through the rhetoric of space exploration.

Biden Aims to Bolster U.S. Alliances in Europe, but Challenges Loom

The good will President Biden brings on his first trip abroad papers over lingering doubts about U.S. reliability and the cost that Europe will be expected to pay.

Do Whistle-Blowers Damage National Security?

Jonathan Stevenson’s “A Drop of Treason” examines the career of Philip Agee, whose 1975 book revealed key secrets of the Central Intelligence Agency.

Risk of Nuclear War Over Taiwan in 1958 Said to Be Greater Than Publicly Known

The famed source of the Pentagon Papers, Daniel Ellsberg, has made another unauthorized disclosure — and wants to be prosecuted for it.