In 1948, a Soviet consul was expelled after a schoolteacher jumped from a window

History
In 1948, a Soviet consul was expelled after a schoolteacher jumped from a window

The Cold War reached a fever pitch in New York when a Russian teacher risked her life by jumping from a consulate window to escape Soviet custody, sparking a major diplomatic crisis.

In August 1948, the world watched as Oksana Kasenkina, a Soviet schoolteacher, leaped from a third-story window of the Soviet Consulate in New York City to avoid being forced back to the USSR. She survived the fall, and the subsequent investigation revealed she was being held against her will.

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