For the first three decades of its existence, the Soviet Union remained one of the most secretive nations on Earth. Even during World War II, when Britain and the USSR were allies, few Britons saw more than carefully orchestrated glimpses of life behind the Iron Curtain.

From 1947 to 1948, Major-General Richard Hilton served as the military attaché at the British Embassy in Moscow. Protected by diplomatic immunity, Hilton became one of the first Westerners to witness Soviet life with a degree of freedom—offering rare, first-hand insights into the realities of Stalin’s Russia at the dawn of the Cold War.

In Military Attaché in Moscow, Hilton recounts his experiences in vivid detail—from close encounters with Soviet authorities to observations on daily life and the underlying Soviet mindset. At once engaging and informative, this account is an invaluable resource for anyone interested in the early Cold War, Soviet history, or the dynamics of diplomacy in hostile territory.