The Cold War By Alexander Zuyev - 1693 Words

There are not too many books that can describe acts of defiance in an oppressive society quite like Fulcrum: A Top Gun Pilot’s Escape from the Soviet Empire. Alexander Zuyev, with Malcolm McConnell, details what his life was like living the Soviet Union and serving in its armed forces during the Cold War. Published in 1992, Zuyev explains the difficult living conditions that would then cause him to steal a fighter jet in order to defect to the United States. With a unique perspective from within the Soviet Air Force, he explains how major events of the Cold War played out in the Soviet Union. With a clear purpose to inform readers of his life in the Cold War, Alexander Zuyev delivers a rich story that helps readers understand what kind of events would cause someone to make a daring escape like he did. I In Fulcrum, Alexander Zuyev details what his life was like from his childhood up until his defection from the Soviet Union. Born in 1961, Zuyev spent his childhood in the Russian town of Samara in a simple apartment with his mother and father. While his father moved out when he was young, Zuyev’s mother raised him under strict rules in order to keep his grades up in school. His mother was also a devout Communist who believed the government of the Soviet Union was advancing society in the right direction. However, Alexander Zuyev began to recognize problems in his society at a young age. For instance, one of his friends who lived in his town resided in a high class home and