Register of the John Barron Papers, 1927-1996
Processed by Lora Soroka; machine-readable finding aid created by
Xiuzhi Zhou
Hoover Institution Archives
Stanford University
Stanford, California 94305-6010
Phone: (650) 723-3563
Fax: (650) 725-3445
Email: archives@hoover.stanford.edu
© 1999
Hoover Institution Archives. All rights reserved.
Register of the John Barron Papers, 1927-1996
Hoover Institution Archives
Stanford University
Stanford, California
Contact Information
- Hoover Institution Archives
- Stanford University
- Stanford, California 94305-6010
- Phone: (650) 723-3563
- Fax: (650) 725-3445
- Email: archives@hoover.stanford.edu
- Processed by:
- Lora Soroka
- Date Completed:
- 1998
- Encoded by:
- Xiuzhi Zhou
© 1999 Hoover Institution Archives. All rights reserved.
Descriptive Summary
Title: Barron Papers,
Date (inclusive): 1927-1996
Collection number: 98020
Creator:
Barron, John, 1930-
Collection Size:
2 manuscript boxes
(0.8 linear feet)
Repository:
Hoover Institution Archives
Stanford, California 94305-6010
Abstract: Correspondence, reports, notes, speeches and writings, and photographs, relating to
Morris Childs, Federal Bureau of Investigation informant within the Communist Party of
the United States; Federal Bureau of Investigation surveillance of the Communist Party;
and the relationship between the Communist Party of the United States and the Soviet
communist party and government. Includes some papers of Morris Childs. Used as research
material for the book by John Barron,
Operation Solo: The FBI's Man in the Kremlin
(Washington, D.C., 1996).
Language:
English.
Administrative Information
Access
Collection open for research.
Publication Rights
For copyright status, please contact the Hoover Institution Archives.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], John Barron Papers, [Box no.], Hoover Institution Archives.
Alternative Form Available
Also available on microfilm (2 reels).
Related Collectons
For related materials, see also the Morris Childs collection.
Access Points
Communism--United States
Communist Party of the United States of America
Internal security--United States
Kommunisticheskaia partiia Sovetskogo Soiuza
United States. Federal Bureau of Investigation
Communism
United States--Politics and government
Soviet Union
Russia (Federation)
Childs, Morris, 1902-1991
Scope and Content
The documents of this collection were selected by JOHN BARRON (b. 1930), American
journalist and author, to be used as research material for his book
Operation
SOLO: The FBI Man in the Kremlin
(Washington, D.C.: Regnery Pub., 1996). The book
describes an operation (later called SOLO) conducted by the FBI in 1954-1982. The main
character in the operation was Morris Childs (1902-1991), a prominent member of the
Communist Party USA (CPUSA), who enjoyed absolute trust of communist leaders both in the
United States and the Soviet Union.
Morris Childs, along with his brother Jack Childs and wife Eva Childs, made fifty-seven
trips (called by the FBI "missions") to the Soviet Union and other countries of the
socialist camp. Morris Childs often accompanied Gus Hall, General Secretary of the CPUSA;
sometimes he traveled alone or with his wife. Morris had conferences with party leaders
in the countries he visited and was shown confidential and secret documents.
Within Operation SOLO the FBI supported a clandestine communication system designed and
built by the Soviet KGB (Committee for State Security). Through this system the FBI
regularly received messages from the Kremlin and, in the name of Jack or Morris, sent
back information the United States wanted the Soviets to get. The FBI also handled
millions of dollars smuggled from the Soviet Union to New York, either by Jack or Morris
or by KGB agents, for the CPUSA.
The collection is divided into four series. Of most interest is the SUBJECT FILE series,
which reflects the activities of Gus Hall, General Secretary of the CPUSA, and gives an
insight into Operation SOLO and how it was handled by the KGB. It also includes
descriptions of communication devices, decoding tables, pictures of KGB agents in
New-York, etc. The WRITINGS and CORRESPONDENCE series document John Barron's work on the
book.
Container List
Box 1
WRITINGS, 1995.
Scope and Content Note
John Barron's notes, and reviews of his book
Operation SOLO: The FBI Man in the
Kremlin,
arranged alphabetically by physical form
Box 1., Folder 1
Notes, n.d. Holograph and typescripts
Box 1
CORRESPONDENCE, 1992-1996.
Scope and Content Note
Arranged alphabetically by name of correspondent
Box 1., Folder 3
Boyle?, Walter, 1994-1995
Folder 5
Fees, James Richard, 1996
Folder 7
Langtry?, John, 1994-1995
Folder 9
Wannall, W. Raymond, 1996
Boxes 1-2
SUBJECT FILE, 1934-1989.
Scope and Content Note
Correspondence, essays, pamphlets, clippings, bulletins, appeals, instructions, leaflets,
minutes, lists, memoranda, prospectus, press interview, radio address, outlines, reports,
notes, press releases, speeches, and questionnaire, arranged alphabetically by subject
Folder
Chinese-Soviet relations. See Soviet-Chinese relation
Folder
Communist Party of the Soviet Union (Kommunisticheskaia Partiia Sovetskogo Soiuza), 1959-1975
Congresses, 1959 and 1971
Folder 12
Twenty-First Congress, 1959. Includes speeches of A. N. Shelepin, N. S. Khrushchev, Chou En-lai, and Leonid I. Brezhnev
Folder 13
Twenty-Fourth Congress, 1971
Folder 14
General, 1934 and 1952-1971. Includes CPUSA anti-war leaflets and a list of members of the Central Committee CPUSA in 1934
Folder 15
Campaign of Morris Childs for the US Senate, 1938. Includes Earl Browder's press interview and radio address
Folder
Links with foreign communist parties, 1940-1977
Folder 17
Communist Party of the Soviet Union (Kommunisticheskaia partiia Sovetskogo Soiuza), 1940-1977
Folder
Correspondence, 1964-1965.
Folder 18
Brezhnev, Leonid I., n.d.
Folder 20
Communist Party of Czechoslovakia, Central Committee (Ceskoslovenska Komunisticka Strana, Ustredni Vybor), n.d.
Folder 21
Communist Party of the Soviet Union (Kommunisticheskaia Partiia Sovetskogo Soiuza), n.d.
Folder 4
Jews - Soviet Union, n.d.
Folder 5
Operation SOLO, 1952-1976. Includes a letter from J. Edgar Hoover and descriptions of SOLO missions and communications
Folder 6
Soviet-Chinese relations, 1963-1967 (some documents in Russian or Chinese)
Box 2
PHOTOGRAPHS, n.d.
Scope and Content Note
108 prints, including of Morris and Eva Childs, Gus Hall, KPSS leaders, and FBI agents
Box 2., Folder 7
29 prints selected by John Barron for his book, n.d.
Folder 8
23 prints depicting Morris Childs and 7 prints depicting Eva Childs alone or with other people, n.d.
Folder 9
20 prints depicting Gus Hall alone or with the leaders of the KPSS and other people, n.d.
Folder 10
19 prints, n.d. Includes prints of KPSS leaders (Khrushchev, Brezhnev, Suslov, etc.)
Folder 11
10 prints, n.d. Includes prints of FBI agents who participated in Operation SOLO, n.d.
