In November of 1982, ten-year-old Samantha Smith of Manchester, Maine was terrified by the idea of nuclear war. Following her mother's suggestion, the fifth-grader wrote a one page letter to Yuri Andropov, the newly-appointed leader of the Soviet Union, pleading for peace between their two countries. What happened next was straight out of a fairy tale. After excerpts from Samantha's letter were published in a communist newspaper, the small-town girl who loved animals and softball became a famous international figure and promoter of world peace, appearing in newspapers and on talk shows, and receiving thousands of letters from around the world. At the invitation of Andropov, Samantha and her parents spent two weeks during the summer of 1983 touring the Soviet Union, and were followed by reporters and cameras every step of the way. Samantha Smith, with her big blue eyes and dimpled grin, soon became America's sweetheart and a friend to the Soviets as she toured Lenin's tomb, attended the Moscow Circus, and enjoyed swimming and singing at Camp Artek. Samantha returned home to a hero's welcome complete with a parade, but just when her life was getting back to normal, Samantha found herself in the spotlight once again. First, the globetrotting young girl was a special guest speaker at a peace symposium in Kobe, Japan, and then she became the host of her own Disney Channel television special in which she travelled to Washington D.C. to interview Democratic presidential candidates. Before starting seventh grade, Samantha was offered the chance to audition for a weekly tv series, and won the role of Robert Wagner's daughter on a new television show called Lime Street. In August of 1985, 13-year-old Samantha and her father Arthur were flying home during a break in filming when their plane suddenly crashed less than a mile from the airport, instantly killing everyone on board. The entire world mourned the loss of Samantha Smith, the "littlest diplomat." Samantha's mother Jane formed the Samantha Smith Foundation in order to carry on her daughter's legacy. Many tributes have been made in both the Soviet Union and the United States to honor the memory of Samantha Smith, including a mountain peak, a bronze statue, a rare diamond, a postage stamp, and even an elementary school. The summer of 2018 will mark the 35th anniversary of Samantha's historic trip.
In November of 1982, ten-year-old Samantha Smith of Manchester, Maine was terrified by the idea of nuclear war. Following her mother's suggestion, the fifth-grader wrote a one page letter to Yuri Andropov, the newly-appointed leader of the Soviet Union, pleading for peace between their two countries. What happened next was straight out of a fairy tale. After excerpts from Samantha's letter were published in a communist newspaper, the small-town girl who loved animals and softball became a famous international figure and promoter of world peace, appearing in newspapers and on talk shows, and receiving thousands of letters from around the world. At the invitation of Andropov, Samantha and her parents spent two weeks during the summer of 1983 touring the Soviet Union, and were followed by reporters and cameras every step of the way. Samantha Smith, with her big blue eyes and dimpled grin, soon became America's sweetheart and a friend to the Soviets as she toured Lenin's tomb, attended the Moscow Circus, and enjoyed swimming and singing at Camp Artek. Samantha returned home to a hero's welcome complete with a parade, but just when her life was getting back to normal, Samantha found herself in the spotlight once again. First, the globetrotting young girl was a special guest speaker at a peace symposium in Kobe, Japan, and then she became the host of her own Disney Channel television special in which she travelled to Washington D.C. to interview Democratic presidential candidates. Before starting seventh grade, Samantha was offered the chance to audition for a weekly tv series, and won the role of Robert Wagner's daughter on a new television show called Lime Street. In August of 1985, 13-year-old Samantha and her father Arthur were flying home during a break in filming when their plane suddenly crashed less than a mile from the airport, instantly killing everyone on board. The entire world mourned the loss of Samantha Smith, the "littlest diplomat." Samantha's mother Jane formed the Samantha Smith Foundation in order to carry on her daughter's legacy. Many tributes have been made in both the Soviet Union and the United States to honor the memory of Samantha Smith, including a mountain peak, a bronze statue, a rare diamond, a postage stamp, and even an elementary school. The summer of 2018 will mark the 35th anniversary of Samantha's historic trip.
