Historian Calder Walton discusses the early origins of the Cold War, highlighting instances of espionage and the role of spies. The podcast explores the rise of Putin, his interactions with the Russian mafia, and the aftermath of the Cold War. It also discusses the West's success in gathering intelligence on Putin's war plans in Ukraine, but expresses doubts about gathering intelligence on Xi's intentions in China.

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.