All major stages of Lavrenty Beria’s biography have been known for several decades. But the emphasis is shifting in one direction or another. For objectivity, the edition presents at least two points of view. One is based on the official, “showcase” biography of Beria; the other is based on the documents and testimonies that appeared after his arrest. Each of these informational directions can be, in its own way, biased. But this makes it possible to evaluate both in all their variety of pros and cons and to look, without prejudice, at the bright and dark sides of Lavrenty Beria’s life and deeds.
Contents:
Preface
Chapter 1. A boy from the empire’s outskirts
Chapter 2. The boss of Transcaucasia: rebels and mandarins
Chapter 3. The road to the Kremlin
Chapter 4. The shadow of the leader of peoples
Chapter 5. State security during the war
Chapter 6. Killing Hitler
Chapter 7. The atomic shield of the Motherland
Chapter 8. From postwar ruins: the rebirth of the country and repression
Chapter 9. The oddities of a deadly fall
Chapter 10. Posthumous existence in films, books, legends, and anecdotes
Bibliography