Melita Norwood

Re “Octogenarian Gave to Russia, With Love,” Sept. 19: Melita Norwood continued spying for Russia until 1972, which means she remained loyal to the Communist regime responsible for Stalin’s purges that resulted in mass murders and his unholy alliance with Hitler in 1939, wherein they agreed to the partition of Poland between Germany and Russia, allowing Stalin to have a free hand in the eastern Baltics so as to gobble up Estonia, Latvia and Finland, countries which Russia shortly thereafter occupied. Hitler’s subsequent double cross of Stalin ended their alliance.

At the end of World War II Russia occupied and controlled various Eastern European countries, with the resulting denial of their democratic freedoms. Norwood apparently justifies her treachery because she believed the Communist system gave ordinary people affordable food, a good education and health services. Using that logic one could support slavery if the slaves were provided similar services.

JOHN F. HAGGERTY

Woodland Hills