Register of the John Barron papers
Finding aid prepared by Lora Soroka
Hoover Institution Library and Archives
© 1999
434 Galvez Mall
Stanford University
Stanford, CA 94305-6003
hoover-library-archives@stanford.edu
Title: John Barron papers
Date (inclusive): 1927-1996
Collection Number: 98020
Contributing Institution: Hoover Institution Library and Archives
Language of Material:
English
Physical Description:
2 manuscript boxes, 1 oversize box
(2.3 Linear Feet)
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).
Creator:
Barron, John, 1930-2005
Creator:
Childs, Morris, 1902-1991
Access
The collection is open for research; materials must be requested in advance via our reservation system. If there are audiovisual
or digital media material in the collection, they must be reformatted before providing access.
Use
For copyright status, please contact the Hoover Institution Library & Archives.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], John Barron papers, [Box no., Folder no. or title], Hoover Institution Library & Archives.
Alternative Form Available
Also available on microfilm (2 reels).
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.
Related Collection
Morris Childs, Hoover Institution Library & Archives
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Communism -- United States
Internal security -- United States
Kommunisticheskai͡a partii͡a Sovetskogo Soi͡uza
Communist Party of the United States of America
United States. Federal Bureau of Investigation
WRITINGS
1995
Scope and Contents 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, holograph and typescripts
undated
CORRESPONDENCE
1992-1996
Scope and Contents note
Arranged alphabetically by name of correspondent
SUBJECT FILE
1934-1989
Scope and Contents 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
box 2, folder 6
Chinese-Soviet relations. See Soviet-Chinese relation
Communist Party of the Soviet Union (Kommunisticheskaia Partiia Sovetskogo Soiuza)
1959-1975
box 1, folder 12
Twenty-First Congress, Includes speeches of A. N. Shelepin, N. S. Khrushchev, Chou En-lai, and Leonid I. Brezhnev
1959
box 1, folder 13
Twenty-Fourth Congress
1971
box 1, folder 14
General, Includes CPUSA anti-war leaflets and a list of members of the Central Committee CPUSA in 1934
1934 and 1952-1971
box 1, folder 15
Campaign of Morris Childs for the US Senate, Includes Earl Browder's press interview and radio address
1938
Links with foreign communist parties
1940-1977
box 1, folder 17
Communist Party of the Soviet Union (Kommunisticheskaia partiia Sovetskogo Soiuza)
1940-1977
Correspondence
1964-1965.
box 1, folder 18
Brezhnev, Leonid I.
undated
box 1, folder 20
Communist Party of Czechoslovakia, Central Committee (Ceskoslovenska Komunisticka Strana, Ustredni Vybor)
undated
box 1, folder 21
Communist Party of the Soviet Union (Kommunisticheskaia Partiia Sovetskogo Soiuza)
undated
box 2, folder 4
Jews - Soviet Union
undated
box 2, folder 5
Operation SOLO, Includes a letter from J. Edgar Hoover and descriptions of SOLO missions and communications
1952-1976
box 2, folder 6
Soviet-Chinese relations, (some documents in Russian or Chinese)
1963-1967
PHOTOGRAPHS
undated
Scope and Contents 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
box 2, folder 8
23 prints depicting Morris Childs and 7 prints depicting Eva Childs alone or with other people
box 2, folder 9
20 prints depicting Gus Hall alone or with the leaders of the KPSS and other people
box 2, folder 10
19 prints, Includes prints of KPSS leaders (Khrushchev, Brezhnev, Suslov, etc.)
box 2, folder 11
10 prints, Includes prints of FBI agents who participated in Operation SOLO
