Calder Walton

Calder Walton, a historian of espionage at Harvard's Belfer Center and author of "Spies," delves into the intriguing nuances of the Cold War, suggesting it may not have fully ended. He discusses the origins and evolution of U.S. intelligence, revealing how figures like the Cambridge Five and innovations like the U-2 spy plane shaped espionage. Walton also explores Russia's ongoing tensions and China's rising influence, highlighting the complexities of interpreting geopolitical shifts and the new dynamics between superpowers.

Guest Calder Walton, intelligence historian and author, discusses Russian spying operations and their portrayal in movies and television. Topics include the Mitrokhin archive, the Cambridge Five, Russian disinformation campaigns, and the Rosenberg case. Also explores the overlooked role of Uleg Pankovsky in the Cuban Missile Crisis and the importance of context in intelligence.

Jeff talks with Calder Walton, author of 'Spies: The Epic Intelligence War Between East and West'. They discuss the possibility of a Russian spy whale, the evolution of espionage and the threat of Putin's Russia, the unpreparedness of intelligence services at the start of WWII, the game-changing role of code-breaking, the intelligence wars and the Cold War, and Chinese espionage and technological advances.