Back from an extended hiatus, we take a look at the cult that developed around Yuri Gagarin, the first man in space. Topics covered include:
- Gagarin's folk tale-worthy landing and the subsequent cover-up
- Gagarin's father being demoted to his uncle by state propaganda
- Yuri's unlikely role as the first Soviet sex symbol
- How the Kremlin exploited (and continues to exploit) Gagarin's legacy
Show Notes
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Episode Notes
Source for Gagarin Cult History: The Cosmonaut Who Couldn't Stop Smiling: The Life and Legend of Yuri Gagarin by Andrew L. Jenks, 2012
Source for Propaganda Posters: https://russiatrek.org/blog/art/propaganda-posters-of-soviet-space-program-1958-1963/
Source for Putin Quotes: http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/68180
