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‘Russians love their children too’: American women’s letters to Nikita Khrushchev and Nina Khrushcheva during the Cuban Missile Crisis

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: This article analyses hundreds of letters that US women wrote to Nikita Khrushchev and Nina Khrushcheva during the Cuban Missile Crisis. The sense of imminent nuclear threat prompted many women to engage with Cold War politics and directly address world leaders. Drawing on their traditional gender roles as mothers and wives, letter-writers were emboldened to confront political leaders about matters of war and peace, advocate for cross-border dialogue and stress Americans’ and Soviets’ shared humanity. Through the prism of letters, the article explores the impact of the Cuban Missile Crisis on US society, the importance of letter-writing in female political activity and women’s understanding of the Cold War.

Source: Cold War History

DOI: 10.1080/14682745.2025.2531120

Authors: Dina Fainberg, Victoria Avanskaya

Institutions: City St George's, University of London, Russian Academy of Sciences, Institute of World History

Language: English

Topic: Historical Gender and Feminism Studies

Subfield: Sociology and Political Science

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Gender equality, Peace, justice, and strong institutions

Open Access status: hybrid

OpenAlex ID: W6884559113

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