What Russia’s Doing in the Arctic

A Cold War commentary on possible Soviet intentions in the Arctic Circle.

This persuasive image was issued in the August 3, 1957 edition of the Star Weekly Magazine in London. It reflects upon Soviet expansion in the Arctic Circle in the larger context of the ongoing tensions between the U.S.S.R. and western democracies.

The angled perspective highlights the geographic expanse of the Soviet Union within the Arctic Circle (also emphasized by the inset chart), while also showing lines of radar coverage, the expanse of pack ice, and the borders of the “Red Curtain.” Accompanying text uses inflammatory language to outline the geopolitical chess game in the region; including claiming that “the tragic fact is that much of the Soviet north has been built up by the blood and sweat of millions of slave laborers” and “Hitler helped stimulate Soviet interest in the north.”

It’s unlikely that the author, Thomas Ballard, considered that many of the same arguments would be replayed over 60 years later, as the pack ice continues to melt and reveals new economic, strategic, and military incentives for territorial expansion in the Arctic.