Kukliński's legacy today is still a matter of debate between Poles over whether he was a good or bad man. Despite Kukliński’s stated aims and the fact that he received no payment from the Americans, many consider him a traitor to his fellow soldiers and to the country he was supposed to be serving; a statue to him in Kraków has been vandalised on numerous occasions. By many others, on the other hand, he is considered an anti-communist hero who was trying to undermine the Soviet grip on Poland, protect his country and prevent a catastrophic war. In 2014 a Polish film about Kukliński’s life was released, entitled Jack Strong, his CIA codename.
Hero or Traitor? The Story of CIA Secret Agent Ryszard Kukliński, aka 'Jack Strong'
27 Oct 2023Kukliński's legacy today is still a matter of debate between Poles over whether he was a good or bad man. Despite Kukliński’s stated aims and the fact that he received no payment from the Americans, many consider him a traitor to his fellow soldiers and to the country he was supposed to be serving; a statue to him in Kraków has been vandalised on numerous occasions. By many others, on the other hand, he is considered an anti-communist hero who was trying to undermine the Soviet grip on Poland, protect his country and prevent a catastrophic war. In 2014 a Polish film about Kukliński’s life was released, entitled Jack Strong, his CIA codename.
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