

80. The Man Who Saved The World: Making of a Traitor (Ep 1)
41 snips Sep 7, 2025
Dive into the riveting journey of Oleg Gordievsky, a KGB officer turned spy for MI6 during the Cold War. Explore his internal struggles amid a repressive regime and the personal conflicts that drove him to betray his homeland. Discover how his daring actions helped avert nuclear disaster and shaped global politics. The narrative weaves through the complexities of loyalty, ambition, and the quest for freedom, all against the backdrop of espionage during turbulent times.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
One Spy Changed Strategic Decisions
- Oleg Gordievsky's intelligence materially shaped Western decisions during a dangerously tense Cold War period.
- Human espionage provided nuance and judgment that helped prevent miscalculation between superpowers.
Raised Inside The Security State
- Oleg was born into a KGB family in 1938 and grew up amid Stalin's purges and fear.
- His mother's side showed dissent and religious roots, creating early internal conflict about the regime.
Double Life Made A Capable Spy
- Living through the Great Terror taught Gordievsky to live a double life: public conformity and private dissent.
- That psychological split later made him effective at secret intelligence work and eventual betrayal.