SPYCRAFT 101

Today, hear from author and counterintelligence professional Aden Magee. Aden discusses how Cold War espionage began in a relatively friendly manner and evolved into the high stakes stories we know today. Initial "liaison tours" served as methods of intelligence collection as tensions rose between the USSR and the other Allied powers. As boundaries on restricted areas were drawn, tours became more...

Today, hear about the real experiences of Cold War pilots from expert Robert Hopkins III. Through a combination of personal experience as an overflight pilot, intense research, and varying interviews he shares the reality of aerial Cold War reconnaissance. From the infamous U2 incident of 1960 to stories the public has hardly heard, Robert provides an inside look into the lives and missions of pil...

Today, hear from author, crisis manager, and public relations expert Eric Dezenhall about one of the strangest friendships in Cold War history. Jack Platt and Gennady Vasilenko forged a strong brotherly connection despite their respective loyalties to the CIA and the KGB. They shared a love of shooting and a thirst for adventure, but one of their greatest feats is revealing the FBI's most notoriou...

Today, Dr. Serhii Plokhy shares the story of KGB assassin Bogdan Stashinsky. Stashinsky is best known for assassinating a man on a bridge using a gun that contained a poison pellet as opposed to a bullet, ultimately killing his target in a way that appeared to be natural causes. Following his defection, his case involved a highly publicized assassination trial in 1962. Thanks to his honesty, Sovie...

It's Mason, Peter Mason. Today, guest Dr. Richard Wooldridge dives into the interesting lives of talented MI6 agents Prudence and Peter Mason. Part of a specialized unit called the Baker Team that sought to even the score with war criminals who had faced no repercussions following World War II, Peter Mason was literally licensed by the British government to kill. Speculation suggests that Peter--w...

Today, Justin tells the story of former KGB officer Nikolai Evgenievich Khokhlov. Starting his career as a vaudeville performer before being recruited by pre-KGB Russian intelligence, Nikolai was highly skilled, and lived an incredible life. Hear all about his story from assassinating world leaders to testifying about the true cruelty of the KGB on national television. Connect with Spycraft 101: I...

Today, author and journalist Toby Harnden provides timely reflection on the events leading up to and following the September 11th attack on the World Trade Center. Hear unique details on the CIA mission launched to avenge those lost, as well as an interesting comparison between the current state of global politics and the very beginning of the war on terror. Connect with Toby: www.tobyharnden.com...

In this episode, Dr. Eric Haseltine  (self-proclaimed neuroscientist gone bad) tells the story of NSA agent Charles Gandy. Gandy was part of an uncharacteristic collaboration between the CIA and the NSA to find out what was happening in Cold War-era Moscow. Secret information was constantly ending up in Soviet hands, and assets were compromised left and right. It's a true tale of American hubris (...

This week, Fred Burton shares details on the Cold War-era murder of an Israeli diplomat, Colonel Joe Alon, in the US. Fred is a former special agent and current executive director for the center for protective intelligence at ONTIC. Hear him share his personal connections to the case as well as what it took to finally solve who pulled the trigger. Connect with Fred: officialfredburton.com Twitter:...

This week, Author and BBC reporter Helena Merriman shares the story of the covert construction of the Berlin Wall, and the way it tore families apart. Hear heartbreaking accounts of "orphaned" children whose parents were alive and well on the other side, lovers separated, and the desperate measures East German citizens took in attempts to escape oppression. How many were able to flee? Helana's boo...

Lee Gossett (friend of  Spycraft 101 alumnus Neil Hansen) shares his experience from starting his flight career as a smoke jumper fighting remote forest firs to flying for Air America, the CIA's secret airline, in Laos. Lee shares stories about friends who passed and what it was like flying above Laos and Vietnam. Do you know the difference between hard rice and soft rice? (Hint: one isn't actuall...

What you do if you found the man responsible for sharing classified Navy secrets with the Chinese government? Former FBI agent James Gaylord shares his story.  From covert house searches to arresting Chinese spies at the airport tune in to this episode to hear what it's really like working counterterrorism for the FBI. Connect with Spycraft 101: IG: @spycraft101 Patreon: Spycraft 101 Buy the book:...

In this episode, David E. Hoffman goes into detail on the long-running espionage of Russian radar scientist, Adolf Tolkachev. Tolkachev was so determined to bring down the USSR that he approached the CIA in Moscow himself and risked his life to bring the US hundreds of secret documents that would prove invaluable. Connect with Spycraft 101: IG: @spycraft101 Patreon: Spycraft 101 Support the show H...

In this episode, Jack Barsky tells of his time working against the US as a KGB spy. From dangerous situations and being followed by the FBI to the lie he told to 'retire' from the KGB, hear about Jack's work firsthand. His daughter, Chelsea, shares a unique perspective on what it's like to be a 'spy kid' in the real world. Chelsea's documentary: https://play.aetv.com/specials/the-spy-who-raised-me...

In this solo episode, hear Justin tell the story of nazi hold out and eventual ally spy, Klaus Barbie. From WWII atrocities to giving up his own ex-SS colleagues and trying to take down the USSR, Barbie's life was continuously complicated thanks to his intelligence expertise and unique skills. Connect with Spycraft 101: IG: @spycraft101 Patreon: Spycraft 101 Support the show Hosted by Simplecast,...

In this episode, author and journalist Steven Emerson shares inside information on covert military operation abroad during the Cold War era. Hear of covert organizations and secret missions you never knew happened, with unique details on the Screaming Eagles to Green Berets to Operation Eagle Claw. Have you ever heard of the Yellow Fruit Organization? Find Steven's Book, Secret Warriors: Inside th...

In this episode of Spycraft 101, Tim Tyler shares details of the CIA's involvement in Iran following World War II. From constitutional action mistaken for coups to non-lethal missions after the Islamic fundamentalist revolution, Tim provides important background and context on events that still affect the global political climate today. Tim's books: Find The Decline and Fall of the Shah here . Fin...

In this episode, Dr. Albert Glinsky covers the life of Leon Theremin. Theremin invented the odd musical instrument that bears his name, but he also engaged in espionage in the US for the Soviet Union. His brilliance allowed him to invent a seemingly innocuous device known as The Thing, the world's fist covert listening tool. IG: @spycraft101 Patreon: Spycraft 101 Support the show Hosted by Simplec...

In this episode, hear from Neil Hansen about what it was like flying for Air America in Southeast Asia. Neil spent his time working with and defending the Hmong people in Laos--and he disagrees with tales of POWs held there long after the end of the Vietnam War. After leaving Laos, Neil used his flight experience in unorthodox ways to raise the money to bring home 100+ refugees from Malaysia and o...

In this episode, hear about the birth of American international espionage: the OSS. From cyanide pills to radioactive glowing foxes, the the USA's first intelligence organization was full of unique dirty tricks thanks to its Research and Development director, Stanley Lovell. Connect with John: Twitter: @JohnLisle IG: @spycraft101 Patreon: Spycraft 101 Support the show Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsW...

In this episode of Spycraft 101, hear from retired CIA agent and movie producer Michael D. Sellers about his time as an agent in Ethiopia, Moscow, and The Philippines.  What is really like to be ambushed  by the KGB when you meet up with an asset? IG: @spycraft101 Support the show Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal...

In the second episode of Spycraft 101's double feature premiere, hear what it's really like to be a CIA case manager, with former agent Doug Patteson. Who's in more danger--a US agent or a foreign asset? IG: @spycraft101 Connect with Doug: https://www.ingloriousamateurs.com/ IG: @texasspydad Support the show Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our co...

In the first episode of Spycraft 101's double feature premiere, hear about the infamous Fritz Joubert Duquesne from author Andrew Blasco. Was Duquesne really the man who killed Kitchener, or was it another intricate lie woven into his already eventful life? IG: @spycraft101 Connect with Andrew: https://www.andrewblasco.com/ IG: @andrew.joseph.blasco Support the show Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWiz...

Welcome to the Spycraft 101 Podcast, your clandestine clasroom. Support the show Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.