The Best Map of Moscow

For years, CIA produced the best unclassified general reference map of Moscow. Initially created in the post World War II years primarily for US Embassy personnel in the Soviet capital, dissemination of the map steadily expanded and it became a key reference guide for personnel of other friendly embassies in Moscow, as well as for many US visitors. On several occasions, even Soviet militiamen processing automobile accident reports involving US Embassy personnel found the maps useful for accurately locating the accident sites. This is the story of how the CIA developed this map to fill a basic intelligence gap.