Russian archival records obtained for this book show that [Joseph] Stalin colluded with his favorited U.S. candidate in 1948, Henry Wallace, [Franklin D.] Roosevelt’s Soviet-friendly wartime Vice President.
The nature of Wallace’s relationship with the Kremlin has long been a subject of speculation. Soviet intelligence is known to have unimaginatively code-named the Vice President CAPTAIN’S DEPUTY during the war. But no evidence has ever emerged that Wallace was recruited as a Soviet agent. He was, however, we can now discern, a Soviet tool. He sincerely believed that “peaceful coexistence” between the Soviet Union and the United States not only could be achieved, but was essential for world peace. All the while, he looked away from (and naively followed Soviet propaganda denying) the existence of Stalin’s mass forced labor and terror programs. According to [President Harry S.] Truman’s counsel Clark Clifford: “It was never clear to me how aware he [Wallace] was of the uses to which the Communist Party was putting him, but whether he knew it or not, he was following the communist line, serving communist ends, and betraying those Americans who supported him as a serious alternative to the two main candidates [in 1948].” Wallace’s naivete about Soviet communism turned him into an asset for Stalin, if not a recruited Soviet agent.
Wallace decided to run in the 1948 U.S. election as the Progressive Party nominee. In April and May that year, he secretly liaised with Stalin about public policies that would be advantageous for the Soviet Union, coordinating his public statements with the dictator. Wallace secretly met with the youthful Soviet ambassador to the UN in New York, Andrei Gromyko, who dispatched the candidate’s messages to the Soviet foreign minister, [Vyacheslav] Molotov, and to Stalin himself. In his memoirs, Gromyko admitted to meeting Wallace, but downplayed the meeting’s significance, suggesting that after talking with him he considered that Wallace had lost contact with the pulse of American life. Archival documents in Moscow reveal that in fact Stalin took Wallace’s position and candidacy seriously, approving his public positions, and answering questions that the former Vice President put to him, which Stalin annotated in his distinctive pencil. Their alignment produced a published open letter from Wallace to Stalin, vetted by the Soviet leader in advance, to which Stalin then publicly replied, all as agreed between the two men.
Wallace’s Presidential election bid in November 1948 dismally failed; he ended up getting barely 2 percent of the vote, while Truman, to his and the nation’s surprise, won a second term. He defeated New York Governor Thomas E. Dewey in one of the greatest upsets in U.S. Presidential history. Ironically, the staff of Wallace’s failed 1948 campaign included none other than the Soviet atom spy Ted Hall. Following his unsuccessful White House run, Wallace had a crisis of faith in his pro-Stalinism. This may have been caused by his realization that Stalin had used and discarded him after the election. Stalin had gotten what he wanted from Wallace. In 1952, Wallace published an article, “Where I Was Wrong,” describing “Russian Communism” as “utterly evil.” The Kremlin and its intelligence services nevertheless learned an important strategic lesson for later in the Cold War: that it could use the freedoms inherent within American electoral campaigns to influence candidates favorable to the Soviet Union.
-- From Spies: The Epic Intelligence War Between East and West by Calder Walton, Simon & Schuster, 2023 (BOOK | KINDLE | AUDIO)
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Novosibirsk
Series Masterlist | Bucky Masterlist
Characters: Winter Soldier, The Harlequin (Female OC).
Want to see pairings of these characters? Those will come in the Programmable series! check the Masterlist for updates
Warnings: Violence, mention of sexual act, degradation if you squint, and I guess programming/gaslighting? This is written more like a military file, so I'm not really sure. Let me know if you think that I should add anything
Contains: Angst, Violence, Military/Covert Operations
Word Count: 1.8k
Summary: The Harlequin Initiative is being tested for the first time. Will the WInter Soldier's new subordinate be successful or will she be discarded as a failure?
Definitions
Soldat: Romanian, meaning Soldier ("sol-da")
Acoperi: Romanian, meaning "Cover" ("Ah-kah-per-ri")
Gata: Romanian, meaning "Ready" ("ga-ta")
Amestecat: Romanian, meaning "Blend In" ("a-mes-stik-ka")
Ascultă: Romanian, meaning "Obey" ("ass-kool-tuh")
Scoate: Romanian, meaning "Extract" ("squat-te")
Uşor: Romanian, meaning "Easy" ("oo-shore")
Dividers are made by me! Want some for yourself? Send me an ask!
I do not nor will I ever give permission for my writing to be copied, pasted, reposted to other sites, or edited in any way shape or form. Seriously, just don’t.
Name: James Buchannan Barnes
Alias: The Winter Soldier, Soldat
Access: Restricted
Access Level: 5
Operative: Enhanced Soldier
Soldat has proven effective and loyal. Stronger, faster, and more durable than any of his previous tests, we believe Soldat is ready to be given command. Until further notice, Soldat shall be Acoperi’s handler on all missions.
Name: Unknown
Alias: The Harlequin, Acoperi
Access: Restricted
Access Level: 5
Operative: Enhanced Assassin
Acoperi is meant to infiltrate and neutralize . Programmable to each target’s specific preferences, Acoperi has the ability to entice and separate, with no knowledge of her mission until Soldat activates the Harlequin Initiative. Acoperi is incapable of operation without a handler due to the nature of her programming, considering building subconscious trust between Handler and Assassin to improve mission efficiency.
Mission Date: November 19, 1949
Mission Location: Novosibirsk Charity Gala
Mission Target: Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Vyacheslav Molotov
First mission test of The Harlequin (Acoperi). The Winter Soldier (Soldat) is to act as handler and return the new asset safely to base for reprogramming and reworking should the mission fail. Acoperi is to assassinate Molotov away from any witnesses. Any means necessary. Should Acoperi fail, Soldat is to complete the mission and secure Acoperi for return to base.
1600 – The assets have been removed from deep freeze.
1630 – The assets have been thawed. Soldat taken to physical, Acoperi is ready for programming.
1715 – Programming completed, both assets have been taken to the Armory.
1800 – Assets Secured, departure on schedule.
Soldat sat stoically in the vibranium transport container. This was the only peace he received, away from the prying eyes of his masters. They had taken the girl out this time, too. A man in combat gear guided the girl into the transport container with him. Her evening dress and heels looked out of place among the men in tactical gear, however her blank expression mimicked his own. He turned his head slightly, taking in her appearance for the first time. She was tall, but not tall enough to raise alarm. Her hair was swept back, styled in an elegant updo, and her makeup was tasteful. She looked harmless, alluring even. No one would ever suspect the horrors that she was designed to be capable of executing. Hydra’s perfect little chameleon, and it was his job to pull the puppet’s strings.
“Soldat.” The large man raised his eyesight to be met with a Hydra pilot. An in-ear communicator was handed to him. He allowed the device to be dropped into his hand and proceeded to secure it within his ear. The pilot leaned over the girl and placed one in her ear as well, his eyes lingering on her chest. Something in Soldat felt disgust. Feelings and thoughts were coming back, ever since the higher-ups made the decisions to only reprogram him when they were met with questions or disobedience. Soldat made a point of keeping to himself when he had these brief feelings. From somewhere outside the container, he heard voices.
“Too bad Winter Soldier in there can’t appreciate the piece of ass sitting next to him. I know she’s a weapon, but damn wouldn’t it be nice to have a night with someone like that who can’t say no?” A sneer flashed across Soldat’s face, vanishing as quickly as it appeared. These men were animals with no regard for anyone but themselves. An alarm began to blare as the door to the container sealed, leaving the assets in the pitch black save for a hazy red light. The test mission had begun.
2130 – On-time arrival.
The alarm rang through the silence again as the door to the container opened with a mechanical whir. Soldat stood, his large form causing him to have to bow his head until he stepped out of the transport container. The girl stayed absolutely still, awaiting orders. He turned, facing her.
“Acoperi.” Her head snapped up at the sound of his voice, though her face remained just as blank as before. “Gata.” She stood, standing only four inches shorter than him in her heels. Her shoes clicked on the metal as she exited the containment unit, and began to make her way towards the entrance to the charity gala. Soldat followed, breaking away as she made her way towards the other guests. His mission was to observe, and only intervene if she failed to complete her objective. Soldat scaled the wall of the building, positioning himself outside the large skylight over the building’s ballroom. As soon as he had her in his sights, he pressed the speech button on his communication device.
“Acoperi. Amesticat.” He watched her whole demeanor change instantaneously. No longer was she the rigid, militaristic form she had been in the containment unit. She moved with grace, a smile gracing her lips as she greeted dignitaries and socialites alike. Mysterious and enchanting, the new personality that Zola had programmed into her quickly endeared her to the rich, famous, and powerful. She looked so . . . so harmless. So unlike a weapon meant to bring about the destruction of the Russian Office of Foreign Affairs. He kept eyes on her as she socialized, placing herself in Molotov’s line of sight. Between the cut of her dress and the sultry look in her eyes, Molotov wouldn’t be able to resist. Right on cue, the dignitary excused himself from his conversation, making his way to Hydra’s new toy.
Katya laughed, brushing her hand over Vyacheslav Molotov’s arm. While he was quite a bit older than herself, Katya couldn’t deny that she was attracted to power. He was a heavy man with a thick mustache and a receding hairline, but his appearance was overshadowed by his influence.
“Mr. Molotov!” Katya’s voice was like a song, speaking in perfect Russian, accent barely visible. “I’m having such a good time. Would you accompany me to the dance floor?” She bit at her lower lip, hoping he caught her meaning. The dance floor now, hopefully a private room and a life of luxury later. Slipping her arm through his, she allowed him to escort and lead her. Katya was attracted to power, and she knew that men like Molotov were attracted to control. She offered him control of her movements – and by extent, her body– as they glided across the dance floor. As the music died, Molotov leaned forward, pressing his lips to the crook of her neck. She pressed her chest forward, her breasts squishing against his chest. She could hear his breath hitch, and his hands came to rest on the small of her back. She was just about to pull away when she froze, a gruff, mysterious voice crackled to life in her ear.
“Acoperi. Ascultă.”
Soldat watched as the girl’s form stiffened, then relaxed again. Given ten minutes, everything would be over. On his command, she began to manipulate Molotov into place, working him away from the rest of the guests and towards the private powder rooms. Soldat watched as the lecherous old man groped at the girl’s hips, pressing his crotch against her ass as they made their way through the crowd. As the powder room door closed, he switched his focus to the device in his ear.
2254 – Target has been isolated. Harlequin is undercover and awaiting command.
Soldat could hear the girl’s breathing. Even and controlled, she was ready. As he heard Molotov begin to whisper disgusting phrases in her ear – Soldat was sure he heard the dignitary refer to the girl as “his good little whore” – he could also make out the faint rustling of fabric. It made sense, seduction was the path of least resistance to a lecher like Molotov. He waited a few minutes longer, until he could hear the old man commanding the girl to get on her knees. The sounds coming from the communicator as she took the pig of a man into her mouth sickened the small part of him that could still feel, but the situation was ideal.
“Covet. Rough. Twenty-three. Midnight. Campfire. Six. Borrow. Landing. Zero. Carrier.” As soon as Soldat spoke the last of the command phrase, the sounds ceased. The girl’s breathing evened, and he heard the click of her heels as she lifted herself back to her feet.
“Winter Soldier recognized. Harlequin is ready to comply.” Her voice was monotone with no emotion. Zola’s experiment was a success. Soldat did not hesitate. This part was as easy for him as pulling a trigger.
“Acoperi. Eliminate. No witnesses.”
The girl stepped out of the powder room, smoothing her dress. Her movements were exact as she made her way to the exit, leaving Molotov’s body to be discovered by the next occupant. Soldat descended from the roof, seating himself in the transportation container. The click of the girl’s heels alerted him to her arrival as she made her way into the helicopter. She stood in front of him, expression as blank as when they arrived. The blades roared to life as the containment unit door shut, and the hazy red light returned. Soldat rested his back against the wall. He inspected her form. She had left her first mission with no injuries and no blood staining. He was going to be giving a very favorable mission report. Her expression remained blank, but a small tear escaped the corner of her eye. Soldat frowned. Did she still have the capacity to feel? After everything Hydra put both of them through, could she still feel? He would have to – Soldat’s train of thought stopped dead in its tracks. Some little piece of humanity buried deep inside him was stirring, and for the first time in ages, Barnes made the call. This was for him to know. If she could still feel, they would do even more horrible things to her to remove all emotion. This was for him and him alone.
“Acoperi. Uşor.” He released her from the Harlequin Initiative, her form relaxing. She lowered herself to the ground, the tears falling more freely though her expression never changed. Barnes placed his vibranium hand on her head, gently stroking her hair. She rested her head on his lap and hugged his calf tight to her chest, looking for any comfort after the horrors she had just witnessed and been helpless to stop.
“ . . . Winter . . .” Barnes stiffened. Her voice was . . . different. It wasn’t the sultry Russian of Katya, nor was it the mechanical Harlequin Initiative. This was . . . This was just her. Barnes blinked, staring at the broken girl on the floor in front of him. She had executed her role perfectly, his mission had been a success. The Winter Soldier felt nothing. But Barnes . . . Barnes made a silent promise to rip apart the men who had broken their minds.
Taglist: @thomase1 @vbecker10 @ozymdias
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