The controversy over Russia’s attempts to influence the 2016 presidential election has grown to the point where President Obama announced new sanctions Thursday against Russia for its cyberattacks on the Democratic National Committee and Democratic campaigns. What the ongoing coverage misses, however, is that this is not the first, nor the most egregious, example of Russia attempting to “help” Americans select their leaders.
During the 1930s and 1940s, Soviet intelligence not only attempted to sway American public opinion by planting fake news stories, but also backed candidates for office including the presidency. Rather than a sign that American democracy has been compromised, Russian actions instead demonstrate the worsening relations between East and West.
