Sign up to save your podcasts
Or
Share "Hitler’s Trojan Horse” – Nazi Intelligence with Nigel West
Share to email
Share to Facebook
Share to X
Share to email
Share to Facebook
Share to X
Or
"Hitler’s Trojan Horse” – Nazi Intelligence with Nigel West
Summary
Nigel West (Wikipedia) joins Andrew (Twitter; LinkedIn) to discuss Germany’s military intelligence service during WWII, the Abwehr. Nigel is known as the expert’s expert on spy history.
Reflections
“The Germans were ruthless. They had really good intelligence on all the bridges. They knew exactly what had to be captured in advance. The bridges would then be held, so as to allow the tanks over, and the tanks wouldn't wait to attack strong points. They would just go directly ahead in order to achieve their objectives.” – Nigel West.
GlossaryAbwehr: Germany’s military intelligence service from 1920-1945, serving both the Riechswehr and Wehrmacht. Translates to “defense.”
Reichswehr: The name for German armed forces from 1919-1935, under the Weimar Republic and first two years of the Third Reich. Per the Treaty of Versailles, the Reichswehr was very limited in arms and personnel. Translates to “Reich Defence.”
Wehrmacht: The name for German Armed Forces from 1935-1945 under Nazi Germany. The heavily militarized and manned Wehrmacht illustrated Hitler’s intentions to expand Germany. Translates to “Defense Force.”
Sicherheitsdienst: The intelligence agency of the Schutzstaffel, or SS. Translates to “Security Service.”
Gestapo: Nazi Germany’s political police force. Notorious for their brutality and representation of Nazi authoritarianism. Full name Geheime Staatspolizei, translating to “Secret State Police.”
EXTENDED SHOW NOTES HERE!
Hitler’s Nest of Vipers: The Rise of the Abwehr, N. West (Frontline, 2022)
Hitler's Trojan Horse: The Fall of the Abwehr, N. West (Frontline, 2023)
*SpyCasts*
Nazis on the Potomac – with former National Park Service Chief Historian Bob Sutton (2022)
A Jewish Spy in Nazi Germany – 101-Year-Old Marthe Cohn’s Incredible True Story (2021)
*Beginner Resources*
July Plot, Britannica (2023) [encyclopedia entry)
From War to War in Europe: 1919-1939, National WW11 Museum (2018) [Background on Interwar Period]
The Treaty of Versailles, What Did the Big Three Want?, YouTube (2016) [3 min. video]
German Chief Spy Admiral Canaris, P. Kross, Warfare History Network (2014)
Abwehr, A. Lerner, Encyclopedia.com (n.d.)
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
View all episodes
By SpyCast
4.4
14851,485 ratings
Summary
Nigel West (Wikipedia) joins Andrew (Twitter; LinkedIn) to discuss Germany’s military intelligence service during WWII, the Abwehr. Nigel is known as the expert’s expert on spy history.
Reflections
“The Germans were ruthless. They had really good intelligence on all the bridges. They knew exactly what had to be captured in advance. The bridges would then be held, so as to allow the tanks over, and the tanks wouldn't wait to attack strong points. They would just go directly ahead in order to achieve their objectives.” – Nigel West.
GlossaryAbwehr: Germany’s military intelligence service from 1920-1945, serving both the Riechswehr and Wehrmacht. Translates to “defense.”
Reichswehr: The name for German armed forces from 1919-1935, under the Weimar Republic and first two years of the Third Reich. Per the Treaty of Versailles, the Reichswehr was very limited in arms and personnel. Translates to “Reich Defence.”
Wehrmacht: The name for German Armed Forces from 1935-1945 under Nazi Germany. The heavily militarized and manned Wehrmacht illustrated Hitler’s intentions to expand Germany. Translates to “Defense Force.”
Sicherheitsdienst: The intelligence agency of the Schutzstaffel, or SS. Translates to “Security Service.”
Gestapo: Nazi Germany’s political police force. Notorious for their brutality and representation of Nazi authoritarianism. Full name Geheime Staatspolizei, translating to “Secret State Police.”
EXTENDED SHOW NOTES HERE!
Hitler’s Nest of Vipers: The Rise of the Abwehr, N. West (Frontline, 2022)
Hitler's Trojan Horse: The Fall of the Abwehr, N. West (Frontline, 2023)
*SpyCasts*
Nazis on the Potomac – with former National Park Service Chief Historian Bob Sutton (2022)
A Jewish Spy in Nazi Germany – 101-Year-Old Marthe Cohn’s Incredible True Story (2021)
*Beginner Resources*
July Plot, Britannica (2023) [encyclopedia entry)
From War to War in Europe: 1919-1939, National WW11 Museum (2018) [Background on Interwar Period]
The Treaty of Versailles, What Did the Big Three Want?, YouTube (2016) [3 min. video]
German Chief Spy Admiral Canaris, P. Kross, Warfare History Network (2014)
Abwehr, A. Lerner, Encyclopedia.com (n.d.)
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
More shows like SpyCast
View all
War on the Rocks
1,066 Listeners
Modern War Institute
778 Listeners
Secrets and Spies Podcast: Espionage | Global Issues | Current Affairs
268 Listeners
Darknet Diaries
8,001 Listeners
Cold War Conversations
453 Listeners
True Spies: Espionage | Investigation | Crime | Murder | Detective | Politics
1,957 Listeners
Irregular Warfare Podcast
405 Listeners
The Underworld Podcast
811 Listeners
SpyTalk
207 Listeners
Global Security Briefing
25 Listeners
SPYCRAFT 101
329 Listeners
School of War
442 Listeners
NatSec Matters
256 Listeners
Mission Implausible
542 Listeners
The Spy Who
530 Listeners