Boris Spassky (1937–2025), Russian chess grandmaster 

Boris Spassky was a Russian chess grandmaster and world champion who famously lost to Bobby Fischer in the so-called “Match of the Century” in 1972.

Thomas Stafford (1930–2024), NASA commander on mission with Soviets 

Thomas Stafford was a NASA astronaut who served as commander in the 1975 Apollo Soyuz Test Project (ASTP), the first joint mission between the U.S. and Soviet space programs.

Byron Janis (1928–2024), celebrated classical pianist 

Byron Janis was a celebrated classical pianist who drew attention for his 1948 debut at Carnegie Hall, performed when he was just 20 years old, and his later discovery of previously unknown Chopin waltzes. 

Julius Becton Jr. (1926–2023), former FEMA head

Lt. General Julius Becton Jr. was a Korean War and Vietnam War veteran who went on to head the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) under President Ronald Reagan.

Henry Kissinger (1923–2023), influential secretary of state

Henry Kissinger was the U.S. secretary of state under Presidents and .

Maj. Gen. Roland Lajoie (1936–2023), instrumental Cold War leader 

Maj. Gen. Roland Lajoie was a U.S. Army veteran and an expert in Soviet technology who proved to be a key leader during the last years of the Cold War.

Terry McDermott (1940–2023), Olympic gold medal-winning speed skater

Terry McDermott was a speed skater who won a gold medal in the 1964 Winter Olympics in Innsbruck, Austria.

Mikhail Gorbachev (1931–2022), last leader of the Soviet Union

Mikhail Gorbachev was the last leader of the Soviet Union, who presided over the collapse of the U.S.S.R. and won the Nobel Peace Prize for his role in ending the Cold War.

A Memorial Tribute to U.S. Veterans Who Died in 2021-2022

This Memorial Day, we set out to share the incredible true life stories of the American war vets who died in 2021 and 2022. This eight-minute tribute video is a very special mini-episode of Legacy's "Immortalized" series, honoring the brave men and women who served in World War II, the Berlin Airlift, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War.

Gail Halvorsen (1920–2022), “Candy Bomber” in the Berlin airlift

Gail Halvorsen was a United States Air Force pilot known as the “Candy Bomber” for dropping candy over Berlin from his airplane during the Berlin airlift in 1948.

George P. Shultz (1920–2021), U.S. Secretary of State under Reagan

George P. Shultz was the U.S. Secretary of State under , shaping foreign policy during the Cold War.

Brent Scowcroft (1925–2020), national security advisor to two presidents

Brent Scowcroft was national security advisor to two presidents, and .

Sergei Khrushchev (1935–2020), Nikita Khrushchev’s son who became a U.S. citizen

Sergei Khrushchev was the son of Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev, and he became known for becoming a U.S. citizen and speaking about the Cold War.

Aleksei Leonov (1934–2019), first person to walk in space

On March 18, 1965, the Russian cosmonaut left his capsule for a 12-minute space walk.

Horace Ashenfelter III (1923–2018), steeplechase gold medalist at the 1952 Olympics

The Olympic race was considered to be an early cold war confrontation.

Stanislav Petrov (1939–2017), "The man who saved the world"

Former Soviet military officer helped avert a nuclear war during the Cold War era.

Comrade J and the Cold War that Never Ended

When 10 alleged Russian spies were recently arrested before being deported in a spy swap arranged by the CIA, many found the events anachronistic, a throwback to a previous era. One person who would not have been surprised was Sergei Tretyakov.

Remembering Novelist Tom Clancy

We remember best-selling spy novelist Tom Clancy.

Kim Hunter: The Career That Might Have Been

Kim Hunter was one of dozens of actors whose careers were very nearly ruined by the anti-communist panic of the McCarthy era.