HIS 100 Module Four Activity Template: Bias in Primary Sources
Locate an additional primary source relevant to your historical event. Use it and the primary
source you identified in a previous module to answer the questions below. Replace the
bracketed text with your responses.
Source One
Conduct source analysis on a primary source relevant to your historical event.
Attempt to write the APA style citation for your first primary source and include a link to it. You
will not be penalized for incorrect format.
oNational Security Archive. (2020). Top Secret: Chernobyl Nuclear Disaster Through the Eyes
of the Soviet Politburo, the KGB, and US Intelligence, Volume 2. Retrieved
from https://nsarchive.gwu.edu/briefing-book/russia-programs/2020-05-15/top-secret-
chernobyl-nuclear-disaster-through-eyes-soviet-politburo-kgb-us-intelligence-volume-2
Respond to the following questions:
Who authored or created the primary source?
oThe National Security Archive compiled this primary source, including documents from
the Soviet Politburo, the KGB, and US intelligence.
What was the author’s position in society at the time the primary source was created?
oThe documents were created by various high-ranking officials and agencies within the
Soviet Union and the United States during and after the Chernobyl disaster.
When was the primary source created?
oThe documents span the period of the Chernobyl disaster and its immediate aftermath,
primarily from 1986 onwards.
Where was the primary source created, released, or publicized?
oThese documents were originally created in the Soviet Union and the United States.
They were later declassified and compiled by the National Security Archive for public
access.
Who was the intended audience for the primary source?
oOriginally, these documents were intended for internal use by government and
intelligence officials. They are now available to the public, including historians and
researchers.
Why was the primary source created?
oThe documents were created to inform and guide the actions of the Soviet government
and intelligence agencies during the Chernobyl disaster and its aftermath. They provide
insights into the official response and decision-making processes.
Whose perspective(s) is presented in the source?
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oThe perspectives of Soviet government officials, KGB agents, and US intelligence officers
are presented, offering a multifaceted view of the Chernobyl disaster.
Source Two
Conduct a source analysis on a primary source relevant to your historical event.
Attempt to write the APA style citation for your second primary source and include a link to it.
You will not be penalized for incorrect format.
oLegasov, V. (1986). Chernobyl Tape Transcripts. Retrieved
from https://legasovtapetranslation.blogspot.com/?m=1
Respond to the following questions:
Who authored or created the primary source?
oValery Legasov.
What was the author’s or creator’s position in society at the time the primary source was
created?
oValery Legasov was a prominent Soviet chemist and a key investigator in the aftermath
of the Chernobyl disaster. He served as the deputy director of the Kurchatov Institute of
Atomic Energy.
When was the primary source created?
oThe tapes were recorded shortly after the Chernobyl disaster in 1986 and were later
transcribed.
Where was the primary source created, released, or publicized?
oThe tapes were recorded in the Soviet Union and the transcriptions were later made
available online.
Who was the intended audience for the primary source?
oInitially, the tapes were intended for personal reflection and potentially for Soviet
officials. The transcriptions are now accessible to the public, including researchers and
historians.
Why was the primary source created?
oThe tapes were created to document Legasov’s firsthand account of the events,
decisions, and consequences of the Chernobyl disaster. They provide a detailed
technical and personal perspective on the incident.
Whose perspective(s) is presented in the source?
oThe perspective of Valery Legasov, a key scientific figure involved in the Chernobyl
response, is presented.
Both Sources
Analyze the primary sources relevant to your historical event for the presence of bias.
oBoth of these primary sources have their own biases based on who made them and why. Valery
Legasov’s tapes are all about the technical details and his personal experiences as a scientist
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dealing with the Chernobyl disaster. Because he was so involved, his perspective might highlight
the flaws in the Soviet nuclear system and emphasize the technical side of things, but it’s also
influenced by his personal frustrations and direct involvement. On the other hand, the
documents from the National Security Archive show what was going on in the Soviet
government and intelligence circles, and how the US saw things. These documents might be
biased to make the Soviet government look better or worse, depending on the context. Soviet
documents could downplay the disaster's impact or government failings, while US documents
might highlight Soviet mistakes to make a political point.
Compare how your historical event is represented in your primary sources.
oLegasov’s tapes give a deep dive into the science and failures leading to Chernobyl, offering a
critical and detailed view from someone on the ground. His account is technical and personal,
focusing on the systemic issues in the Soviet nuclear program.The National Security Archive
documents, however, provide a broader picture of the political and intelligence responses to the
disaster. They show how the Soviet government and the KGB handled things internally and how
the US viewed the situation. This source adds context about the political maneuvers and
international implications. When you put these sources together, you get a full picture of the
Chernobyl disaster. Legasov’s technical and personal insights combined with the political and
intelligence perspectives from the National Security Archive show just how complex and
multifaceted the event was.
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