Spies

Mission Iran: Special Forces Berlin & Operation Eagle Claw, JTF 1-79

  Few operations in Cold War history capture the imagination quite like Operation Eagle Claw. I have the privilege of welcoming back James Stejkal, a Special Forces veteran, to delve into the intricacies of this audacious mission. Listen on Apple PodcastsListen on SpotifyListen on YouTubeBecome a Patron! Operation Eagle Claw, conceived as a daring rescue … Read more

Den of Spies: The October Surprise – A Covert Cold War Operation

  In the late 1970s, the United States found itself at the centre of hostage crisis with 52 US Embassy staff held hostage in Iran. Listen on Apple PodcastsListen on SpotifyListen on YouTubeBecome a Patron! Our latest episode takes you on a journey through the tumultuous events of 1980, exploring the covert operation known as … Read more

The KGB Spies Next Door

In the sleepy suburb of Ruislip in London during the late 1950s, life was anything but exciting for Gay, a 15-year-old girl. Little did she know, her mundane existence was about to be shattered by a shocking revelation that would turn her world upside down. Listen on Apple PodcastsListen on SpotifyListen on YouTubeBecome a Patron! … Read more

To Catch a Spy – How the Spycatcher Affair Brought MI5 in from the Cold

  The Spycatcher affair remains one of the most intriguing moments in the history of British intelligence and a pivotal point in the public’s relationship with the murky world of espionage and security. Listen on Apple PodcastsListen on SpotifyListen on YouTubeBecome a Patron! It lifted the lid on alleged Soviet infiltration of British services and … Read more

The longest-held prisoner of war in American history

Jack Downey was the longest-held prisoner of war in American history. He was a CIA officer captured in China during the Korean War and imprisoned for twenty-one years. Listen on Apple PodcastsListen on SpotifyListen on Amazon MusicListen on Podcast AddictBecome a Patron! I speak with Barry Werth the author of Prisoner of Lies – Jack … Read more

Mafia Spies and the Plot to Kill Fidel Castro

  Thomas Maier an investigative journalist is our guide to the shadowy world of organized crime and espionage where shares insights from his extensive research and writing, including his latest book and drama documentary “Mafia Spies,” which explores the unlikely alliance between the CIA and the mafia in their attempts to assassinate Fidel Castro. Listen … Read more

The President’s Kill List – Assassination and US Foreign Policy since 1945

  Luca Trenta is an associate professor at Swansea University and has recently authored The President’s Kill List: Assassination and US Foreign Policy Since 1945. We dig in detail into the contents of the book delving into the history of Cold War CIA operations including instances of electoral interference and assassination. Listen on Apple PodcastsListen … Read more

My friend the Bridge of Spies spy Part 2

  Burt recounts the surreal experience of learning about Fisher’s true identity from a newspaper headline, the subsequent FBI interrogations, and the emotional courtroom testimony where he struggled to reconcile his friendship with the stark reality of espionage. Listen on Apple PodcastsListen on SpotifyListen on Google PodcastsBecome a Patron! Burt’s journey leads him to Moscow … Read more

My friend the Bridge of Spies spy Part 1

  In a riveting episode that peels back the layers of Cold War espionage, we sit down with Burt, an artist who unwittingly befriended a man better known as Colonel Abel, the infamous Bridge of Spies Spy who was exchanged for shot down US U2 pilot Gary Powers. Listen on Apple PodcastsListen on SpotifyListen on … Read more