In this solo episode, Justin dives into the story of three CIA men who survived against the odds in Havana, Cuba. As service technicians, their role was to set up surveillance equipment to monitor Castro's Cuba.  The situation quickly turned sour,  but all three agents stood their ground for almost three years before returning home without compromising their identities or the agency.

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Today, prolific author and journalist Tim Tate shares the story of Polish Intelligence Officer Michael Goleniewski. A figure in James Angleton's complicated time with the CIA, Goleniewski was an expert counterintelligence agent who identified over a thousand Soviet Bloc spies across Europe and provided their details to the CIA and MI5. His complex story takes a rather interesting turn towards the end of his career when he claims to be the long-lost heir to Russia's final Czars, Alexei Romanov. What began as a play to claim the mythical Romanov fortune ends in true madness as Goleniewski becomes convinced that he really IS Alexei.

Connect with Tim:
timtate.co.uk
Twitter: @TimTateBooks
Check out Tim's book, Agent Sniper, here.

https://www.amazon.com/Agent-Sniper-Super-Ruthless-Despised/dp/1250274664

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IG: @spycraft101
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Today, author and scholar Brian McKnight delves into Chinese treatment of American prisoners of war during in Korea. Following the armistice that ended the Korean War in 1954, 23 American POWs refused repatriation to the United States. McKnight delves into what made them want to live in China--namely mandatory communist indoctrination while they were kept prisoner. By playing upon the reality of inequities these men faced while living in poverty under capitalism, Chinese soldiers were able to convince many the alleged upward mobility afforded by communism was reason enough not to return home.


Check out Brian's book, We Fight For Peace, here.

https://www.amazon.com/Fight-Peace-Twenty-Three-Prisoners-Turncoats/dp/B06XFY3TQL/ref=sr_1_1?qid=1639608099&refinements=p_27%3ABrian+McKnight&s=books&sr=1-1

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IG: @spycraft101
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Today, journalist, author, and expert Jefferson Morley shares unique details on the life and career of one of of the most controversial CIA figures: James Angleton. Angleton was the CIA'S chief of counterintelligence for two decades, from 1954 to 1974. He's known for his unique connections to the Italian elite post World War II, his close relationship with Israel, and his obsession over a potential mole within the CIA. Angleton was a brilliant and complicated man, but at times his paranoia seemed to get the best of him.

Connect with Jefferson:
jeffersonmorley.com
deepstateblog.org
Twitter: @jeffersonmorley
Buy his book on Angleton, The Ghost, here.


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Today, author and journalist John Pomfret shares details about the true story of an interesting alliance involving Polish spies aiding the United States. After years of working against each other, ex-communist spies in Poland following a democratic election ended up working hand in hand with the country they'd been pinned against for most of the Cold War.

Connect with John:
johnpomfret.com
Twitter: @JEPomfret
Check out his book, From Warsaw with Love, here.

https://www.amazon.com/Warsaw-Love-Forging-Unlikely-Alliance/dp/1250296056

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IG: @spycraft101
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Today, author and former special forces officer Greg Walker shares the little-known story of a David Baez, a green beret defector. Baez was a Nicaraguan national whose father was killed by U.S.-backed President Samosa after voicing his displeasure with inequalities that had risen under Samosa's rule. After immigrating the U.S. and joining the Army (and then Special Forces), Baez found himself in El Salvador watching the country he served try to re-institute the rule of a dynasty that had done personal harm to his own family. Baez defected to Nicaragua in support of Sandinista revolutionary forces--despite the danger it posed to his American brothers in arms.

Connect with Greg:
LinkedIn: Gregory Walker
Check out Part 1 of Greg's series on Baez, A defector in place: The strange and terrible saga of a Green Beret Sandinista, here.

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/defector-place-strange-terrible-saga-green-beret-part-greg-walker/

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IG: @spycraft101
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Today, author and renowned journalist Blaine Harden tells the unique story of Donald Nichols, a young intelligence officer operating in Korea. Nichols was known for being big, powerful, and morally ambiguous--but his accomplishments in Korea are virtually unknown. From warning General McArthur and the U.S. Army of the incoming Korean War (to no avail) to being falsely diagnosed with schizophrenia and undergoing electroshock therapy at the hands of the Air Force, Nichols lived a life full of surprises.

Connect with Blaine:
blaineharden.com
Check out Blaine's book on Nichols, King of Spies, here.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/0143128868

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IG: @spycraft101
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Today, Justin sits down solo to discuss Operation Jaque. This noteworthy mission took place in Colombia, where the local military managed to rescue 15 hostages from the extremist Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). FARC was known for its ruthlessness, and past rescue missions had resulted in death or injury for all but one hostage. In this unique situation, strategy percolated from the bottom of the ranks to the top, and the hostages (two of whom were Americans and a third a former Colombian presidential candidate) were successfully recovered thanks to unique intelligence.

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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 and more dangerous with the risk of Soviet or East German detention, vehicle ramming, and shooting of MLM officers who strayed too close to restricted lines.

Connect with Aden:
LinkedIn: Aden Magee
Check out Aden's book, The Cold War Wilderness of Mirrors, here.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09672Q27C/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i1

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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 pilots and aerial teams during one of the tensest eras of US history.


Connect with Robert:
Twitter: @CobraBall3
Check out Robert's book, Spy Flights and Overflights, here.

https://www.amazon.com/Spyflights-Overflights-Strategic-Reconnaissance-1945-1960/dp/1902109503


Connect with Spycraft 101:
IG: @spycraft101
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