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Cold War Hope And Tragedy: Samantha Smith's Soviet Sojourn

In 1982, amid the tensions of the Cold War, a 10-year-old American named Samantha Smith wrote a letter to Soviet leader Yury Andropov, asking: "Why do you want to conquer the world or at least our country?" To everyone's great surprise, she received a detailed reply from Andropov that read: "I invite you, if your parents will let you, to come to our country." Her trip in July 1983 as a "goodwill ambassador" to the U.S.S.R. was a media sensation, although some dismissed her visit as a Soviet PR stunt. She spent three days at the most popular Young Pioneers' camp called Artek, which was located on the Black Sea coast of the Crimean Peninsula.

After her trip, Samantha Smith became a fixture in the media, working as an actress and correspondent. In 1985, she published a book called A Journey To The Soviet Union, which was dedicated to children around the world. On August 25 of that year, 35 years ago, Samantha died at the age of 13 along with her father and six others in a plane crash in Auburn, Maine. The crash was ruled an accident, mainly due to bad weather and an inexperienced crew.
Samantha Smith flew to the Crimean Peninsula from Moscow. At the airport in Simferopol, she was met by children from the camp who taught her to sing a number of popular songs.
1 Samantha Smith flew to the Crimean Peninsula from Moscow. At the airport in Simferopol, she was met by children from the camp who taught her to sing a number of popular songs.
The guest from the United States was greeted at Artek with dances and karavai, which is traditional bread and a symbol of hospitality. She said she was speechless as an orchestra played for her and children chanted her name.
2 The guest from the United States was greeted at Artek with dances and karavai, which is traditional bread and a symbol of hospitality. She said she was speechless as an orchestra played for her and children chanted her name.
Some of the children welcoming Smith held a sign that said, "We are glad to meet you in our Artek." Olga Sakhatova, a counselor at Artek's Morskoi camp, recalled that not everyone was happy about the visit. She said the camp was often shown off to foreign visitors, and it required intensive cleaning to make sure they made the best impression.
3 Some of the children welcoming Smith held a sign that said, "We are glad to meet you in our Artek." Olga Sakhatova, a counselor at Artek's Morskoi camp, recalled that not everyone was happy about the visit. She said the camp was often shown off to foreign visitors, and it required intensive cleaning to make sure they made the best impression.
Smith said she really liked her uniform at Artek and asked to keep it as a souvenir. Sakhatova said she felt great affection for Smith but was concerned because the cost of "lost" uniforms was usually deducted from staff salaries. Arrangements were later made for Smith to receive the uniform as a gift.
4 Smith said she really liked her uniform at Artek and asked to keep it as a souvenir. Sakhatova said she felt great affection for Smith but was concerned because the cost of "lost" uniforms was usually deducted from staff salaries. Arrangements were later made for Smith to receive the uniform as a gift.
The salty waters of the Black Sea were quite a surprise for Smith. Before her visit, she had only swum in freshwater ponds and pools.
5 The salty waters of the Black Sea were quite a surprise for Smith. Before her visit, she had only swum in freshwater ponds and pools.
Her Soviet hosts paired up Smith with Natasha Kashirina, who spoke English because her mother taught the language. The two became friends and continued to communicate even after the end of the camp visit. In the early 1990s, Kashirina, together with Olga Sakhatova, traveled to the United States to work as counselors at the Samantha Smith Camp, organized by her mother. There, Kashirina met her future husband and subsequently moved to live in California.
6 Her Soviet hosts paired up Smith with Natasha Kashirina, who spoke English because her mother taught the language. The two became friends and continued to communicate even after the end of the camp visit. In the early 1990s, Kashirina, together with Olga Sakhatova, traveled to the United States to work as counselors at the Samantha Smith Camp, organized by her mother. There, Kashirina met her future husband and subsequently moved to live in California.
On a boat tour with her new Soviet friends off the Crimean coast.
7 On a boat tour with her new Soviet friends off the Crimean coast.
8
Natasha Kashirina (third from right) and Smith (center) at the camp's Neptune Festival. Smith said there were swimming competitions, a theatrical performance on the water, laughter, jokes, and, in the end, the children threw their counselors into the sea.
9 Natasha Kashirina (third from right) and Smith (center) at the camp's Neptune Festival. Smith said there were swimming competitions, a theatrical performance on the water, laughter, jokes, and, in the end, the children threw their counselors into the sea.
According to Smith, she never felt lonely during her three days at Artek, saying she made a lot of friends.
10 According to Smith, she never felt lonely during her three days at Artek, saying she made a lot of friends.
The Soviet campers asked Smith about life in the United States, especially about clothes and music. She said that in the evenings they sometimes talked about war and peace, and she learned that almost everyone she met at Artek had relatives who had been killed in World War II. She concluded that, if war can destroy everything, the most important thing is never to fight.
11 The Soviet campers asked Smith about life in the United States, especially about clothes and music. She said that in the evenings they sometimes talked about war and peace, and she learned that almost everyone she met at Artek had relatives who had been killed in World War II. She concluded that, if war can destroy everything, the most important thing is never to fight.
Smith with her father, surrounded by children and journalists. Her last day at Artek was also the end of the camp session. She recalled that processions, dances, masquerades, and fireworks created a great spectacle.
12 Smith with her father, surrounded by children and journalists. Her last day at Artek was also the end of the camp session. She recalled that processions, dances, masquerades, and fireworks created a great spectacle.
Smith's mother later said that the trip to the Soviet Union changed her daughter, noting how much maturity she gained in one summer. Samantha Smith later wrote that the most important outcome of her journey was the understanding that people around the world are not strangers, but are neighbors.
13 Smith's mother later said that the trip to the Soviet Union changed her daughter, noting how much maturity she gained in one summer. Samantha Smith later wrote that the most important outcome of her journey was the understanding that people around the world are not strangers, but are neighbors.
A year after Smith's death in a plane crash, a sightseeing ship and a street at Artek were named after her.
14 A year after Smith's death in a plane crash, a sightseeing ship and a street at Artek were named after her.
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RFE/RL's Crimea.Realities

Crimea.Realities is a regional news outlet of RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service.

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