The Cold War birthed dozens of international organizations that were “non-governmental” in name only. Sponsor states directed their work and paid the bills, but insisted publicly on the groups’ neutrality and autonomy. Despite Cold War historians’ fancy for transnational trends and organizations in recent years, the “fronts” detailed on this site remain stuck in the shadows. The reasoning is simple enough: what failed to attract attention then doesn’t deserve to now. This site argues not just for the fronts’ significance to history, but for your interest in them.
So come take a tour of who they were, where they met, what they published, and ask yourself: do they matter?
