“This Was My Choice” – The Daring Defection of Igor Gouzenko
On September 5th 1945, a young cypher clerk by the name of Igor Gouzenko walked out of the Soviet embassy in Ottawa with a series of top-secret documents. His actions that day would alter the course of history. The gripping revelation that the Soviets were stealing nuclear secrets from the west helped uncover a dazzling web of intrigue stretching into to the very confines of Canadian democracy.
This historical podcast / walking tour / travel guide seeks to trace back Gouzenko’s steps in Ottawa during his defection. It also seeks to explore the fascinating world of Cold War espionage as well as a battle over memory. Not only is the “Gouzenko Affair” a foundational event of the Cold War but it is perhaps one of the most significant events in Canadian history.
This episode features interviews with two individuals: Evy Wilson, the daughter of Igor and Svetlana Gouzenko and Andrew Kavchak a local author who lobbied for a historical plaque to honor his cold war hero.
For an interactive map with all of the stops this tour will take you on, please check out the following map: https://toosquaretobehip.com/this-was-my-choice-the-daring-defection-of-igor-gouzenko/
Timestamps:
(00:00) – Introduction
(01:43) – Setting the Scene
(05:16) – Welcome to the Podcast
(19:29) – The Walking Tour
(22:16) – The Gouzenko Residence (511 Summerset)
(60:20) – Soviet Embassy (285 Charlotte Street)
(64:44) – Ottawa Journal (234 Queen Street)
(67:21) – Justice Building (249 Wellington Avenue)
(69:12) – Return to the Gouzenko Residence and Dundonald park
(120:03) – Office of the Prime Minister and Privy Council Langevin Block (80 Wellington)
(124:03) – Center Block (111 Wellington)
(129:29) – Conclusion
(142:47) – Epilogue
