An Accidental Journalist: The Adventures of Edmund Stevens, 1934-1945 (Volume 1)

Idealistic American Edmund Stevens arrived in Moscow in 1934 to do his part for the advancement of international Communism. His job writing propaganda led to an accidental career in journalism and an eventual Pulitzer Prize in 1950 for his uncensored descriptions of Stalin s purges. The longest-serving American-born correspondent working from within the Soviet Union, Stevens began his journalism career reporting on the Russo-Finnish War in 1939 and was the Christian Science Monitor s first man in the field to cover fighting in World War II. He reported on the Italian invasion of Greece, participated in Churchill s Moscow meeting with Stalin as a staff translator, and distinguished himself as a correspondent with the British army in North Africa. Drawing on Stevens s memoirs as well as his articles and correspondence, Heckler sheds new light on both the public and the private Stevens, portraying a reporter adapting to new roles and circumstances with a skill that journalists today could well emulate. When an idealistic American named Edmund Stevens arrived in Moscow in 1934, his only goal was to do his part for the advancement of international Communism. His job writing propaganda led to a reporting career and an eventual Pulitzer Prize in 1950 for his uncensored descriptions of Stalins purges. This book tells how Stevens became an accidental journalistand the dean of the Moscow press corps. The longest-serving American-born correspondent working from within the Soviet Union, Stevens was passionate about influencing the way his stateside readers thought about Russias citizens, government, and social policy. Cheryl Heckler now traces a career that spanned half a century and four continents, focusing on Stevenss professional work and life from 1934 to 1945 to tell how he set the standards for reporting on Soviet affairs for the Christian Science Monitor . Stevens was a keen observer and thoughtful commentator, and his analytical mind was just what the Monitor was looking for in a foreign correspondent. He began his journalism career reporting on the Russo-Finnish War in 1939 and was the Monitor s first man in the field to cover fighting in World War II. He reported on the Italian invasion of Greece, participated in Churchills Moscow meeting with Stalin as a staff translator, and distinguished himself as a correspondent with the British army in North Africa. Drawing on Stevenss memoirsto which she had exclusive accessas well as his articles and correspondence and the unpublished memoirs of his wife, Nina, Heckler traces his growth as a frontline correspondent and interpreter of Russian culture. She paints a picture of a man hardened by experience, who witnessed the brutal crushing of the Iron Guard in 1941 Bucharest and the Kharkov hangings yet who was a failure on his own home front and who left his wife during a difficult pregnancy in order to return to the war zone. Heckler places his memoirs and dispatches within the larger context of events to shed new light on both the public and the private Stevens, portraying a reporter adapting to new roles and circumstances with a skill that journalists today could well emulate. By exposing the many facets of Stevenss life and experience, Heckler gives readers a clear understanding of how this accidental journalist was destined to distinguish himself as a war reporter, analyst, and cultural interpreter. An Accidental Journalist is an important contribution to the history of war reporting and international journalism, introducing readers to a man whose inside knowledge of Stalinist Russia was beyond compare as it provides new insight into the Soviet era. Stevens Was The Longest-serving American-born Correspondent Working From Within The Soviet Union. In His Career, Which Spanned Half A Century, He Distinguished Himself As A War Reporter, Analyst, And Cultural Interpreter. Heckler Focuses On Stevens's Work, Especially His Reporting For The Christian Science Monitor, And His Life From 1934 To 1945--provided By Publisher. Part One : An American In Russia -- The Early Years In Moscow -- Kirov's Death And The Purge -- Part Two : Covering World War Ii -- Russia And Germany Against The Baltics, Norway, And Finland -- Italo-greek War -- Ethiopia With Selassie And Wingate -- Deser War Of 1942 -- With Churchill In Moscow -- Wendell L. Willkie, Iraq, Iran, Victory In North Africa -- A Moscow Correspondent Once Again -- Appendix : An Inevitable Journalist : Samples Of Steven's Reporting. Cheryl Heckler. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 281-283) And Index. An Accidental Journalist: The Adventures of Edmund Stevens 1934–1945......Page 4 Contents......Page 8 Acknowledgments......Page 10 Introduction: An Accidental Journalist......Page 16 1. The Early Years in Moscow......Page 44 2. Kirov’s Death and the Purge......Page 60 3. Russia and Germany against the Baltics, Norway, and Finland......Page 82 4. Italo-Greek War......Page 112 5. Ethiopia with Selassie and Wingate......Page 152 6. Desert War of 1942......Page 178 7. With Churchill in Moscow......Page 208 8. Wendell L. Willkie, Iraq, Iran, Victory in North Africa......Page 226 9. A Moscow Correspondent Once Again......Page 246 Appendix. An Inevitable Journalist: Samples of Stevens’s Reporting......Page 272 Bibliography......Page 296 Index......Page 300