SpyCast-logo

SpyCast

History Podcasts

TOP SECRET Personal Attention, SpyCast Listeners Known to be the podcast real spies listen to -(STOP)- eavesdrop on conversations with high level sources from around the world -(STOP)- spychiefs molehunters defectors covert operators analysts cyberwarriors and researchers debriefed by SPY Historian Hammond -(STOP) stories secrets tradecraft and technology discussed -(STOP)- HUMINT SIGINT OSINT IMINT GEOINT and more -(STOP)- rumored to be professional education internal communication and public information -(STOP)- entire back catalog available online for free -(STOP)- please investigate this claim with all possible haste -(STOP)- SPY Historian Hammond said to have a Scottish accent -(STOP)- is this a countermeasure or a hearts-and-minds campaign? (END TELEGRAM)

Location:

United States

Description:

TOP SECRET Personal Attention, SpyCast Listeners Known to be the podcast real spies listen to -(STOP)- eavesdrop on conversations with high level sources from around the world -(STOP)- spychiefs molehunters defectors covert operators analysts cyberwarriors and researchers debriefed by SPY Historian Hammond -(STOP) stories secrets tradecraft and technology discussed -(STOP)- HUMINT SIGINT OSINT IMINT GEOINT and more -(STOP)- rumored to be professional education internal communication and public information -(STOP)- entire back catalog available online for free -(STOP)- please investigate this claim with all possible haste -(STOP)- SPY Historian Hammond said to have a Scottish accent -(STOP)- is this a countermeasure or a hearts-and-minds campaign? (END TELEGRAM)

Language:

English

Contact:

2028930635


Episodes
Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

From the Vault: “The 75th Anniversary of the CIA” – with former Director Robert Gates

12/17/2024
Summary Robert Gates (Website; Website) joins Andrew (Twitter; LinkedIn) to reflect on the 75th Anniversary of the CIA. He served 8 U.S. presidents. What You’ll Learn Intelligence His reflections on the CIA at 75 How the CIA’s story intersected with his own His take on the organization’s strengths and weaknesses The complex intl. environment the CIA must now help America navigate Reflections Twists of fate Identity and institutions And much, much more… Episode Notes Robert M. Gates is the first career officer in the CIA’s history to rise from entry level employee to Director. He spent 27 years at CIA, nine of those at the NSC. More recently, he was the first Secretary of Defense to be asked to remain in office by a newly elected president. In all, he served 8 presidents. Wouldn’t you love to know his take on the CIA at 75? Well, we’ve made that happen for you! He was born in Wichita, Kansas, served in the U.S.A.F. and he received his undergraduate education at William & Mary, his masters from Indiana University, and his doctorate from Georgetown University. He was formerly the President of Texas A&M University and the current Chancellor of William & Mary. And… The academic institutions Dr. Gates has been associated with all have quite different capacities of football stadium: Georgetown University’s Cooper Field can hold 3,750; William & Mary’s Zable Stadium can hold 12,259; Indiana University’s Memorial Stadium can hold 52,626; and Texas A&M’s Kyle Stadium can hold a whopping 102,733. What could we infer about Dr. Gates, college sports, or the United States from this information? Well, that would be thinking like an intelligence analyst. Quote of the Week "I've led four very big, very different institutions and like all of them I always saw where places where CIA could be better. But I always loved the place, and I always was proud to work there and proud of the people that I knew…they were probably the smartest, most honest people I've ever met and worked with." – Robert Gates. Resources *Andrew’s Recommendation* “Reorganization in the Intel. Community,” DCI Gates (1992) Watch this prescient clip on historical naivete, or if you’re hardcore, the entire congressional testimony *SpyCasts* “Dealing with Russia” – with Jim Olson (2022) “I was a Presidential Daily Briefer on 9/11” – with Mike Morell (2021) *Beginner Resources* History of CIA, CIA (n.d.) [website] CIA Director’s Portrait Gallery, CIA (n.d.) [online gallery] Impact of President G.H.W. Bush’s Foreign Policy, MSNBC (2018) [13 min. video] At 75, CIA Back Where it Started, Countering Kremlin, G. Myre, NPR (2022) [5 min. audio] Books Spymasters: CIA Directors, C. Whipple (S&S, 2020) Duty, R. Gates (Vintage, 2015) [Def. Sec. memoir] A World Transformed, Bush & Scowcroft (Knopf, 1998) From the Shadows, R. Gates (S&S, 1996) [CIA memoir] Power & Principle, Z. Brzezinski (FS&G, 1983) [Gates was Z.B.’s Special Asst. at the NSC during the Carter era] Articles A More Realistic Strategy for the Post-Cold War Era, R. Gates, WaPo (2022) Creation of the Central Intelligence Group, M. Warner, SII (1996) Video Legacy of the G.H.W.B. Administration, CFR (2016) Book Talk: From the Shadows, R. Gates, C-Span (1996) Documentary The Spymasters, Showtime (2015) Curatorial Pocket History of CIA, CIA (2014) Primary Sources Biden Speech on 75th Anniversary of the CIA (2022) Robert Gates on CIA and Openness (1992) Nomination of Gates to be DCI (1991) Adm. Roscoe, First CIA Director Dies (1982) CIA Review of the World Situation (1947) Lester to Truman re Centralized Intelligence (1947) National Security Act (1947) *Wildcard Resource* North by Northwest (Hitchcock, 1959) We hear the first explicit mention of “CIA” in a major movie “FBI. CIA. ONI. We’re all in the same alphabet soup.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Duration:01:12:55

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

“An Imperial History of the CIA” – with Hugh Wilford

12/10/2024
Summary Hugh Wilford joins Andrew (X; LinkedIn) to discuss his new book. Hugh is a professor, author, and leading CIA historian. What You’ll Learn Intelligence Imperial influences on American intelligence Key figures in CIA history “Wild” Bill Donovan & British influence Groton School’s impact on CIA leaders Reflections Inherited history Challenging established narratives And much, much more … Resources SURFACE SKIM *Spotlight Resource* The CIA: An Imperial History, Hugh Wilford (Basic Books, 2024) *SpyCasts* The British Monarchy and Secret Intelligence with Rory Cormac and Richard Aldrich (2024) The Past 75 Years with Historian of the CIA Rhodri Jeffreys-Jones (2022) The 75th Anniversary of the CIA with former Director Robert Gates (2022) DEEPER DIVE Books A Question of Standing: The History of the CIA, R. Jeffreys-Jones (Oxford University Press, 2022) Spymasters: CIA Directors, C. Whipple (S&S, 2020) A Brief History of the CIA, R. Immerman (Wiley, 2014) Primary Sources Sherman Kent Obituary (1986) Maj. Gen. Edward G. Lansdale to go to South Vietnam (1965) CIA Review of the World Situation (1947) Lester to Truman re Centralized Intelligence (1947) National Security Act (1947) Intelligence Remarks of Major General William J. Donovan (1946) *Wildcard Resource* Kim (1901) by Rudyard Kipling As Hugh mentions in this interview, this book was the inspiration behind Kermit Roosevelt Jr.’s nickname, Kim. Harold Adrian Russell Philby, the infamous member of the Cambridge Spy Ring better known as Kim Philby, took inspiration from the same source. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Duration:01:03:58

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

“The Battlefield Tour Guide” with Bob Shaw

12/3/2024
Summary Robert Shaw joins Andrew to discuss his experience working as an accredited Battlefield tour guide. Bob’s career in the British Army spanned over 25 years. What You’ll Learn Intelligence Becoming a battlefield tour guide IEDD and Intelligence Work in Northern Ireland Hypothetical WWIII scenarios Special Forces, TECHINT, & the Bin Laden Raid Reflections Learning from history Interpretation and understanding And much, much more … Quotes of the Week “One of the things about being an IEDD operator, our intent of course is investigation. And part of that is asking questions, lots of them, and getting, in a sense, answers and then following off and chasing trails or rabbit holes … It's good to be able to question everything and work out why it's there and does it fit … So it does really help with battlefield touring.” – Bob Shaw. Resources SURFACE SKIM *SpyCasts* Alan Turing: Codebreaker, Visionary, Enigma with Andrew Hodges (2024) The Real Ian Fleming with Nicholas Shakespeare (2024) ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL: The D-Day Deception with National WWII Museum Curator Corey Graff (2023) St. Ermin’s Hotel, London – The History of a Legendary Spy Site with Stephen Duffy (2023) The IRA, The Troubles & Intelligence with Eleanor Williams and Thomas Leahy (2022) DEEPER DIVE Explore the Sites and Battlefields Discussed Thames House Vauxhall Cross Bletchley Park Monument to SOE Agents The Old War Office Building The Admiralty Building Beaumanor Hall Battle of Arnhem / Operation Market Garden The Khyber Pass The Falklands Conflict Abbottabad Raid / Operation Neptune Spear Battle of Stalingrad *Wildcard Resource* The Battle of Gettysburg is perhaps one of the most well-known and most visited battlefields in the United States. Take a virtual tour of this historic American site here – Tour guidance by Bob not included. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Duration:00:58:54

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

“Two Decades at the International Spy Museum” – with Anna Slafer

11/26/2024
Summary Anna Slafer (LinkedIn, Website) joins Andrew (X; LinkedIn) to discuss the history of the International Spy Museum. Anna was one of SPY’s first employees when the museum opened in 2002. What You’ll Learn Intelligence Building the International Spy Museum Milton Malz: the visionary behind SPY The role of historians and curators Creating exhibits on espionage Reflections Institutional memory and evolution The challenges and joys of storytelling And much, much more … Quotes of the Week “We structured the museum so people could understand: How does [spying] work? Who does it? What is my role? And we wanted to look at the good, the bad, and the ugly.” – Anna Slafer. Resources SURFACE SKIM *SpyCasts* The World’s Preeminent Collection of SPY Artifacts with Laura Hicken and Lauren VonBechmann (2024) Secrets Revealed – Curators Alexis and Andrew on SPY’s Pop-Up Exhibit (2023) Peter Earnest Memorial: Spook, CIA Spokesman, Spy Museum Director (2022) *Beginner Resources* A look at the International Spy Museum in Washington D.C., FOX 5 Washington DC, YouTube (2023) [5 min. video] About the Collection, International Spy Museum (n.d.) [Short article] About Museums, American Alliance of Museums (n.d.) [Short Q&A] DEEPER DIVE Articles Cracking the Spy Museum Code to Revitalize Stale Learning, J. A. Manning, Medium (2023) A Reimagined Spy Museum in Washington Doesn’t Flinch From the Darker Side, S. Shane, The New York Times (2019) From For-Profit to Nonprofit: Evolution of the International Spy Museum, E. Merritt, American Alliance of Museums (2019) Spy Museum salutes '50 years of Bond Villains,' T. Wells, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (2012) Role of museums in managing design education: a case study, H. Lee, International Journal of Education Through Art (2009) Museum visitors hit the D.C. streets in spy game, B. Zongker, Seattle Times (2009) *Wildcard Resource* Museums have been a critical element of community building and historical memory for centuries. One of the world’s first curators was a woman named Ennigaldi-Nanna from modern day Iraq. Dating from 530 B.C., Ennigaldi-Nanna’s museum of Mesopotamian artifacts is thought to be the world’s oldest museum. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Duration:01:02:03

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

Leadership & The United States Pacific Command with Ret. Lieutenant General Anthony Crutchfield

11/19/2024
Summary Lieutenant General Anthony Crutchfield (Ret.) (LinkedIn, Wikipedia) joins Andrew (X; LinkedIn) to discuss his time as the Deputy Commander of United States Indo-Pacific Command. PACOM covers 52% of the globe. What You’ll Learn Intelligence The role of intelligence in military operations Ethical dilemmas in command decisions Reflections on the impact of mentorship and outreach The importance of remaining aware in today's pervasive world Reflections The challenges of leadership Hard work, determination, and resilience And much, much more … Quotes of the Week “I worked hard at everything I did. If somebody asked me to do a job, I didn’t say, ‘That’s not my job,’ I didn’t complain. There were places that I was sent that I didn’t want to go, but I went – And I didn’t complain about it…I did the best that I could and it was recognized.” – Anthony Crutchfield. Resources SURFACE SKIM *SpyCasts* Leading United States Central Command with General Frank McKenzie (2024) CIA Director, Defense Secretary, Gentleman with Leon Panetta (2024) David Petraeus on Ukraine & Intelligence with the former CIA Director & 4* General (2023) Intelligence, Special Operations, and Strategy with Michael Vickers (2023) DEEPER DIVE Books The Melting Point: High Command and War in the 21st Century, K. F. McKenzie (Naval Institute Press, 2024) Conflict: The Evolution of Warfare from 1945 to Ukraine, D. Petraeus & A. Roberts (Harper, 2023) Strategy in Crisis: The Pacific War, J. T. Kuehn (Naval Institute Press, 2023) Fire on the Water: China, America, and the Future of the Pacific, R. J. Haddick (Naval Institute Press, 2014) Primary Sources U.S. Defense Infrastructure in the IndoPacific: Background and Issues for Congress (2023) Pacific Partnership Strategy (2022) Indo-Pacific Strategy of the United States (2022) *Wildcard Resource* PACOM is, by far, the largest geographical combatant command. The smallest, on the other hand, is the U.S. Central Command. Listen to our interview with General Frank McKenzie, 14th commander of CENTCOM, here! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Duration:01:06:14

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

“The Skinny on Cuban Intelligence” – with Counterintelligence expert Ean Forsythe

11/5/2024
Summary Ean Forsythe joins Andrew to discuss the history of Cuban intelligence. Ean is the Counterintelligence and Security Center Chair at the National Intelligence University. What You’ll Learn Intelligence The history and evolution of Cuban intelligence Case studies, including Ana Montes, Kendall Meyers, and the Cuban Five Counterintelligence strategies and challenges The role of Cuban intelligence during the Cold War Reflections Ideology and the power of ideas Offensive vs. defensive play And much, much more … Resources SURFACE SKIM *SpyCasts* Code Name Blue Wren: Cuban Spy Ana Montes with Jim Popkin (2023) The Counterintelligence Chief with FBI Assistant Director Alan Kohler (2023) Dealing with Russia – A Conversation with Counterintelligence Legend Jim Olson (2022) DEEPER DIVE Books Code Name Blue Wren: The True Story of America's Most Dangerous Female Spy—and the Sister She Betrayed, J. Popkin (Hanover, 2023) To Catch a Spy: The Art of Counterintelligence, J. M. Olson (Georgetown University Press, 2021) United States-Cuban Relations: A Critical History, E. M. Dominguez (Lexington, 2008) Primary Sources Report on the Convictions and Disproportionate Sentences Imposed on the Cuban Five (2014) USA: The Case of the Cuban Five (2010) Inspector General Review of Ana Montes Investigation (2005) US vs. Marta Rita Velazquez (2004) Ana Montes Statement During Trial (2001) FBI Arrests DIA Employee (2001) Selection and Training of Cuban Intelligence Agents Abroad (1964) Cuban Intelligence Information Report (1964) *Wildcard Resource* Watch Erin bake Ana Montes’ famous cheesecake recipe and dive deeper into Ana’s story in SPY's Declassified Desserts video! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Duration:01:10:02

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

Bellingcat: An Intelligence Agency for the People with Eliot Higgins

10/29/2024
Summary Eliot Higgins (X; Wikipedia) joins Andrew (X; LinkedIn) to discuss the work of Bellingcat. Eliot founded the open-source investigative website in 2014. What You’ll Learn Intelligence Bellingcat’s approach to “investigative journalism” The rise of OSINT as a tool of journalism Bellingcat’s relationship with intelligence agencies Case studies from Bellingcat’s past, including the Skripal Case and the MH17 flight investigation Reflections Leading by example Accessibility and accountability And much, much more … Quotes of the Week “When I first started doing this work ... I would present geolocation and stuff on stage. The reaction was like I was doing magic tricks, but my point was that. This isn't magic – This is something that you can do and recreate and understand.” - Eliot Higgins. Resources SURFACE SKIM *SpyCasts* Digital Innovation and the Next Frontier of Intelligence with Jennifer Ewbank (2024) The Future of OSINT and the Intelligence Community with Jason Barrett (2024) U.S. Army Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT) with Dennis Eger & Shawn Nilius (2024) Ukraine & Intelligence: One Year On with Shane Harris (2023) DEEPER DIVE Books OSINT Techniques: Resources for Uncovering Online Information, M. Bazzell (2023) Deep Dive: Exploring the Real-world Value of Open Source Intelligence, R. L. Baker (Wiley, 2023) We Are Bellingcat: The Online Sleuths Solving Global Crimes, E. Higgins (Bloomsbury, 2022) Primary Sources Map of Civilian Harm in Ukraine (2024) Death of Sinwar Report (2024) The IC OSINT Strategy 2024-2026 (2024) DoS Open Source Intelligence Strategy (2024) MH17 Investigation (2019) Skripal Report (2018) *Wildcard Resource* The fable of Belling the Cat The inspiration behind Bellingcat’s name, the moral of this story is simple – It’s one thing to suggest a solution or idea, but it’s a whole other beast to actually take action. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Duration:01:07:27

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

The Cyber Behavioral Profiler with Cameron Malin

10/22/2024
Summary Cameron Malin (LinkedIn) joins Andrew (X; LinkedIn) to discuss cyber and behavioral profiling. Cameron was the creator and founder of the FBI’s Cyber Behavioral Analysis Center. What You’ll Learn Intelligence The historical origins of behavioral profiling Applying behavioral profiling to counterintelligence and cyber threats Nature vs. Nurture in criminal behavior The future of deception and cyberwarfare Reflections The complexity of the human mind Threat evolution And much, much more … Quotes of the Week “We need to think about cybersecurity as not just hacking and malware and the obvious tangible or known weapons that are used, it includes mental malware … Deep fakes and disinformation, things that can cause erroneous decision making that are just as powerful.” – Cameron Malin Resources SURFACE SKIM *SpyCasts* The FBI Hostage Negotiator with Chris Voss (2024) A CIA Psychologist on the Minds of World Leaders, Pt. 1 with Dr. Ursula Wilder (2024) A CIA Psychologist on the Minds of World Leaders, Pt. 2 with Dr. Ursula Wilder (2024) “How Spies Think” – 10 Lessons in Intelligence with Sir David Omand (2020) DEEPER DIVE Books Deception in the Digital Age: Exploiting and Defending Human Targets through Computer-Mediated Communications, C. Malin et. al. (Academic Press, 2017) Incendiary: The Psychiatrist, the Mad Bomber, and the Invention of Criminal Profiling, M. Cannell (Minotaur Books, 2017) Mindhunter: Inside the FBI's Elite Serial Crime Unit, J. Douglas & M. Olshaker (1995) Primary Sources Lone Offender Terrorism Report (2019) A Study of Pre-Attack Behaviors of Active Shooters in the United States Between 2000 and 2013 (2018) FBI Jack the Ripper Profile (1988) Criminal Investigation: A Practical Handbook (1907 translation) UK Parliamentary Debates (1888) *Wildcard Resource* Mindhunter (2017-2019) While not perfectly accurate, this TV show (heavily inspired by the book of the same name, listed above) is a truly excellent watch. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Duration:01:08:30

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

The FBI Hostage Negotiator - with Chris Voss

10/15/2024
Summary Chris Voss (X; LinkedIn) joins Andrew (X; LinkedIn) to discuss the art of negotiation. Chris formerly served as the FBI lead international hostage negotiator. What You’ll Learn Intelligence The very basics of negotiation, including the phrase “Never split the difference” The art of Tactical Empathy Case studies from Chris’ career, including the Dos Palmas kidnappings Techniques in ethical interrogation Reflections Pressure makes diamonds Human nature & understanding “the other side” And much, much more … Quotes of the Week “Never take advice from somebody that you wouldn’t trade places with. Never take directions from somebody who hasn’t been where you’re going … I’m coachable, but I know who to be coached by.” – Chris Voss. Resources SURFACE SKIM *SpyCasts* James Foley: Journalist, ISIS Hostage, Son with His Mother Diane Foley (2024) A CIA Psychologist on the Minds of World Leaders, Pt. 1 with Dr. Ursula Wilder (2024) A CIA Psychologist on the Minds of World Leaders, Pt. 2 with Dr. Ursula Wilder (2024) The Counterintelligence Chief with FBI Assistant Director Alan Kohler (2023) The FBI Way - Counterintelligence Spy Chief Frank Figliuzzi (2021) DEEPER DIVE Books American Mother, C. McCann and D. Foley (Etruscan Press, 2024) The Siege, B. Macintyre (Crown, 2024) Never Split the Difference: Negotiating As If Your Life Depended On It, C. Voss & T. Raz (Harper Business, 2016) Primary Sources A Proclamation on U.S. Hostage and Wrongful Detainee Day (2024) Executive Order on Bolstering Efforts to Bring Hostages and Wrongfully Detained United States Nationals Home (2022) FBI Hostage Rescue Team Policy Guide (2019) DOS Foreign Affairs Manual: Hostage Taking and Kidnappings (2018) 5 Leaders of the Abu Sayyaf Group Indicted (2002) Hostage Negotiation: A Matter of Life and Death (1983) Current Status of the Hostage Crisis and the Implications of US Policy Options (1980) *Wildcard Resource* Want to learn even more? Check out Chris’ MasterClass on the Art of Negotiation. And while you’re there, tune in to MasterClass’ other intelligence and espionage-related courses featuring insights from John Douglas, Michael Morrell & more, and Condoleezza Rice. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Duration:01:12:07

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

The U.S. House Intelligence Committee - with Ranking Member Congressman Jim Himes

10/8/2024
Summary Jim Himes (Website; X) joins Andrew (X; LinkedIn) to discuss the U.S. House Intelligence Committee. Jim has served as the U.S. representative for Connecticut’s 4th congressional district since 2009. What You’ll Learn Intelligence The House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Its role and operations The importance of bipartisan collaboration Transparency and accountability in intelligence Congressman Himes' personal experiences during 9/11, its impact on his career in intelligence, and 9/11’s impact on intelligence at large Reflections Public trust and earning confidence Partnership and cooperation And much, much more … Quotes of the Week “I get asked all the time, ‘Oh my gosh, you see all the threats. Do you sleep at night?’ … Yes, I do see with particularly exquisite detail the threats against us. I also get to see the detail of the assets and the people that we deploy against those threats. And because I get to see with great detail the assets and the tools that we have to address those threats, yes, I do sleep at night. Not because they will ever be perfect, but because these are incredibly dedicated people, the technology is amazing, and it is commensurate with the threats out there.” -Jim Himes Resources SURFACE SKIM *SpyCasts* Digital Innovation and the Next Frontier of Intelligence with Jennifer Ewbank (2024) The Future of OSINT and the Intelligence Community with Jason Barrett (2024) The Future of NATO with Leon Panetta and Expert Panel (2024) CIA Director, Defense Secretary, Gentleman with Leon Panetta (2024) DEEPER DIVE Books Sies, Lies, and Algorithms: The History and Future of American Intelligence, A. B. Zegart (Princeton University Press, 2022) The Secret World: A History of Intelligence, C. Andrew (Yale University Press, 2019) The First Congress: How James Madison, George Washington, and a Group of Extraordinary Men Invented the Government, F. M. Bordewich (Simon & Schuster, 2016) Primary Sources House Intelligence Committee COVID-19 Report (2022) Unclassified Summary of the Second Interim Report on the Origins of the COVID-19 Pandemic (2022) House Intelligence Committee Report on Russian Active Measures (2018) Snowden Report (2016) The 9/11 Commission Report (2004) H. Res. 658 (1977) *Wildcard Resource* One of Connecticut’s very first representatives was a gentleman named Roger Sherman. Sherman is unique not only for being one of Jim’s congressional predecessors but also because he is the only person to have signed all four great state papers of the United States. These include: The Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation, the Articles of Association, and the Constitution. As a bonus, he also signed the 1774 Petition to the King. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Duration:00:57:31

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

Ciphers, Disguise, and Invisible Ink: Tools of the Trade with Pete Langman & Nadine Akkerman

9/24/2024
Summary Pete Langman and Nadine Akkerman join Andrew to discuss espionage in Elizabethan England. Pete and Nadine are authors of the new book Spycraft: Tricks and Tools of the Dangerous Trade from Elizabeth I to the Restoration. What You’ll Learn Intelligence Spymasters of the Elizabethan era Techniques in forgeries, invisible inks, and seal-making The impact of spies on important historical events like the Spanish Armada The connections between espionage and religious tension Reflections Creativity & Innovation The risks and dangers of early espionage And much, much more … Quotes of the Week “Spies are involved with bribery. They cheat and they lie, so it’s immoral, and often there are things that are just illegal in other instances, such as forgery of documents. Other people would get their ears clipped or their noses slit if they forged documents.If you are a spy, you are being asked to do that on the job. So it's a dangerous game and the lines are very thin.” – Nadine Akkerman. Resources SURFACE SKIM *Spotlight Resource* Spycraft: Tricks and Tools of the Dangerous Trade from Elizabeth I to the Restoration, N. Akkerman & P. Langman (Yale University Press, 2024) *SpyCasts* The British Monarchy and Secret Intelligence with Rory Cormac and Richard Aldrich (2024) Espionage and the Two Queens with Kent Tiernan (2023) The Information Battlespace – Foreign Denial and Deception with Bill Parquette (2022) So, You Want to Be a Codebreaker? with Elonka Dunin and Klaus Schmeh (2021) DEEPER DIVE Primary Sources Natural magick, Smithsonian Digital Library (1658) Page of Ciphers Used by Mary Queen of Scots, UK National Archives (1586) Letter from Mary, Queen of Scots in Sheffield Castle to Elizabeth I, British Library (1582) Mary, Queen of Scots to Sir William Cecil, UK National Archives (1570) De Furtivis Literarum notis (1563) *Wildcard Resource* Use this invisible ink recipe from the UK National Archives to send your own secret messages. You may recognize this heat method from one of Erin’s favorite movies, National Treasure (2004), where a secret message is revealed on the back of the Declaration of Independence. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Duration:01:07:31

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

The Future of OSINT and the Intelligence Community with Jason Barrett

9/17/2024
Summary Jason Barrett (LinkedIn) joins Andrew (X; LinkedIn) to discuss the integration of open-source intelligence into the American Intelligence Community. Jason is the first-ever OSINT Executive. What You’ll Learn Intelligence Historical examples of OSINT The evolution of Open Source Intelligence The challenges and unique opportunities OSINT presents The future of OSINT within the Intelligence Community Reflections Trust and transparency Efficiency in intelligence gathering And much, much more … Quotes of the Week “We're living in an age when credibility and trust is really important to build. This is an opportunity for the IC to really build that trust, I think in important ways. So, it's an area I think you will see more of us being more transparent in our work.” – Jason Barrett. Resources SURFACE SKIM *SpyCasts* U.S. Army Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT) with Dennis Eger & Shawn Nilius (2024) Cybersecurity in The White House with Camille Stewart Gloster (2024) David Petraeus on Ukraine & Intelligence with the former CIA Director & 4* General (2023) Irregular Warfare & Intelligence with IWC Director Dennis Walters (2023) DEEPER DIVE Books OSINT Techniques: Resources for Uncovering Online Information, M. Bazzell (2023) Deep Dive: Exploring the Real-world Value of Open Source Intelligence, R. L. Baker (Wiley, 2023) Open Source Intelligence Methods and Tools: A Practical Guide to Online Intelligence, N. A. Hassan & R. Hijazi (Apress, 2018) Primary Sources The IC OSINT Strategy 2024-2026 (2024) DoS Open Source Intelligence Strategy (2024) Ethical Frameworks in Open-Source Intelligence (2022) Open-Source Intelligence, Department of the Army (2012) Department of Defense OSINT Instruction (2010) *Wildcard Resource* You’ve probably practiced OSINT techniques many times before – Think, Facebook stalking your old college friends to see what they’re up to. Many video games also involve the usage of open-source collection techniques: Return of the Obra Dinn (2018) is one such critically acclaimed video game. The game, set on an early 19th-century ship, challenges its player to solve the mystery of what happened to the crew onboard by piecing together scraps of information from journal entries and related documents. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Duration:01:12:29

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

The Spycatcher Affair & MI5: The Scandal that Shook Britain with Tim Tate

9/10/2024
Summary Tim Tate (Website) joins Andrew (X; LinkedIn) to discuss the Spycatcher Affair. Tim is a best-selling author and award-winning filmmaker. What You’ll Learn Intelligence Peter Wright: His background and motives The contents of Spycatcher including the exposure of alleged soviet moles The UK’s efforts to keep their secrets secret The lasting effects of the Spycatcher Affair Reflections Personal secrecy vs. public security Censorship and free speech And much, much more … Quotes of the Week "[Wright] found truly acres of paperwork from old files which had been disregarded and hadn't been properly followed up on and leads that hadn't been properly followed. And when he pulled at them, those threads of evidence, and when he chased it down, what he found, as often as not, was genuine reason to suspect that the penetration, the widespread penetration, was real and serious.” – Tim Tate . Resources SURFACE SKIM *Spotlight Resource* To Catch a Spy: How the Spycatcher Affair brought MI5 in from the Cold, Tim Tate (Icon Books, 2024) *SpyCasts* The Counterintelligence Chief with FBI Assistant Director Alan Kohler (2023) St. Ermin’s Hotel, London – The History of a Legendary Spy Site with Stephen Duffy (2023) The Information Battlespace – Foreign Denial and Deception with Bill Parquette (2022) Dealing with Russia – A Conversation with Counterintelligence Legend Jim Olson (2022) DEEPER DIVE Books To Catch a Spy: The Art of Counterintelligence, J. Olson (Georgetown University Press, 2021) Traitors Among Us: Inside the Spy Catcher's World, S. A. Herrington (Harvest Books, 2000) The Spycatcher Affair, C. Pincher (St. Martin’s Press, 1988) Spycatcher, P. Wright (Heinemann, 1987) Primary Sources Peter Wright Case (Part 1) (1987) Peter Wright Case (Part 2) (1987) Retired Spy Claims Cover Up in British Service (1984) The Hollis Affair (1981) The “Zinoviev” Letter Investigation (1924) The Zimmermann Telegram (1917) *Wildcard Resource* Areopagitica (1644) by John Milton Illegally published in the UK in protest to the Licensing Order of 1643, this polemic has since become one of the most influential documents defending the right to free speech and free publication. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Duration:01:15:50

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

The Director-General of the Australian Signals Directorate with Rachel Noble

9/3/2024
Summary Rachel Noble joins Andrew to discuss her role as Director-General of the Australian Signals Directorate. Rachel is the first woman to hold this position. What You’ll Learn Intelligence The Australian Signals Directorate: Its purpose and mission The true story of the Pine Gap spy facility Leadership in Intelligence The SIGINT origins of the Five Eyes alliance Reflections The value of team The importance of work-life balance And much, much more … Quotes of the Week “Women lead differently. We talk differently, we engage in different ways. And I've had to learn to own that about myself and not be tempted to try to be like the guys, compete with them on their own terms, or to adopt male behaviors in order to be heard … [Doing that] doesn't really help other women who might come after me.” – Rachel Noble. Resources SURFACE SKIM *SpyCasts* Codebreaking and Codemaking Down Under with John Blaxland and Clare Birgin (2024) Australian National Day Special: Intelligence Down Under with John Blaxland (2024) SPY CHIEFS: Director-General of Security Mike Burgess - ASIO, Australia & America (2022) Keeping Secrets/Disclosing Secrets with Spy Chief turned DG of Australia’s National Archives David Fricker (2022) *Beginner Resources* What is SIGINT? YouTube (2020) [2 min. video] Who we are, Australian Signals Directorate (2020) [Short article] Our Agencies, National Intelligence Community of Australia (n.d.) [Overview of each agency in the Australian IC] DEEPER DIVE Primary Sources REDSPICE Blueprint (2022) Report of the Royal Commission on Intelligence and Security (1977) Australian Treaty Series: Five Power Defence Agreements (1971) Australian Treaty Series: Agreement between the Government of the Commonwealth of Australia and the Government of the United States of America relating to the Establishment of a Joint Defence Space Research Facility (1966) Policy file containing Cabinet approval of establishment of Joint Intelligence Organisation and participation of New Zealand Government (1946) ASD Role and effectiveness of Signals Intelligence in World War II (1945) *Wildcard Resource* Rachel mentioned in this podcast episode that one of her favorite treats when coming to the States are Snickerdoodles – A delectable sugar cookie showered in cinnamon-sugar topping. In the cookie world, snickerdoodles are a more recent invention with their first written mention being in an 1889 cookbook. Learn more about the history of cookies here! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Duration:01:11:15

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

Lethal Action - Understanding Poison with Neil Bradbury

8/27/2024
Summary Neil Bradbury (Website, LinkedIn) joins Andrew (X; LinkedIn) to discuss the deadly history of poison and espionage. Neil is an author and biochemist. What You’ll Learn Intelligence How different poisons affect the human body The usage of poisons as a covert assassination method The deaths of defectors Alexander Litvinenko and Georgi Markov The Soviet Union’s Lab X and the production and research of poisons on the state level Reflections The double edge of creativity The necessity for research and experimentation And much, much more … Quotes of the Week “In order to counteract lots of the poisons, you have to know how they work, and you have to be able to develop your own. So, yes, undoubtedly, Western governments are just as actively involved in creating these chemicals and also the antidotes to them.” – Dr. Neil Bradbury. Resources SURFACE SKIM *Spotlight Resource* A Taste for Poison: Eleven Deadly Molecules and the Killers Who Used Them, Neil Bradbury (St. Martin’s Press, 2022) *SpyCasts* The Murder of an IRA Spy with Henry Hemming (2024) I Helped Solve the Final Zodiac Killer Cipher with David Oranchak (2024) The North Korean Defector with Former DPRK Agent Kim, Hyun Woo (2023) Spies: The Epic Intelligence War Between East vs. West with Calder Walton (2023) DEEPER DIVE Books Poison: The History of Potions, Powders and Murderous Practitioners, B. Hubbard (Welbeck Publishing, 2020) Poison: A History: An Account of the Deadly Art and its Most Infamous Practitioners, J. Davis (Chartwell Books, 2018) The KGB's Poison Factory: From Lenin to Litvinenko, B. Volodarsky (Zenith Press, 2010) Primary Sources Press Release on the Poisoning of Alexei Navalny (2020) Update on the Use of Nerve Agent in Salisbury, UK (2018) The Litvinenko Inquiry (2016) Situation Report on Piesteritz (1953) Analysis of Madame Lefarge’s Arsenic Trial (1840) *Wildcard Resource* This week’s companion song can only be Waterloo Sunset (1967) by The Kinks. Heralded as one of the most beautiful songs of the swingin’ sixties, “Waterloo Sunset” is appropriately incorporated into the title of Neil’s chapter on the assassination of Georgi Markov, which took place on London’s Waterloo Bridge. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Duration:01:12:10

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

The JFK Assassination – a Debate with Jefferson Morley and Mark Zaid (Part 2)

8/20/2024
Summary Jefferson Morley and Mark Zaid join Andrew in a debate over the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. Mark and Jeff are longtime friends and colleagues with very different viewpoints of what truly happened on November 22nd, 1963. What You’ll Learn Intelligence The lasting questions surrounding the Kennedy assassination Lee Harvey Oswald’s intelligence connections The Warren Commission and the JFK Assassination Records The strangest theories Mark and Jeff have heard, and the most plausible explanations of who killed President Kennedy Reflections Public distrust and the search for truth Reactions and responses to tragedy And much, much more … Quotes of the Week ”That's why I think they probably have something to hide. Because it doesn't make sense otherwise … If they had access to that kind of straightforward story, we would get that.” – Jefferson Morley. Resources SURFACE SKIM *SpyCasts* The Skinny on American Intelligence & the Law with D.C. “Super Lawyer” Mark Zaid (2024) Rise of Devils: The Origins of Modern Terrorism with James Crossland (2024) Havana Syndrome – A Panel featuring Nicky Woolf, Marc Polymeropoulos, and Mark Zaid (2023) The Past 75 Years with Historian of the CIA Rhodri Jeffreys-Jones (2022) *Beginner Resources* Lee Harvey Oswald, Britannica (2024) [Short biography] JFK Files: What we're learning from newly released Kennedy assassination records, CBS News, YouTube (2022) [6 min. video] Kennedy Assassination Timeline, The Sixth Floor Museum (n.d.) [Timeline of events] DEEPER DIVE Books The Devil's Chessboard: Allen Dulles, the CIA, and the Rise of America's Secret Government, D. Talbot (Harper Perennial, 2016) JFK and the Unspeakable: Why He Died and Why It Matters, J. W. Douglass (Touchstone, 2010) Our Man in Mexico: Winston Scott and the Hidden History of the CIA, J. Morley (University Press of Kansas, 2008) Primary Sources President John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act (1992) Select Committee on Assassinations Report (1978) Warren Commission Report (1964) LBJ Address to Congress (1963) Interrogation of Lee Harvey Oswald (1963) JFK Autopsy Report (1963) The President John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection *Wildcard Resource* Test how you would do in Kennedy’s shoes by playing 13 Days: The Cuban Missile Crisis, 1962 – A two-player board game that tests your quick-thinking strategy and conflict resolution skills. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Duration:01:02:19

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

The JFK Assassination – a Debate with Jefferson Morley and Mark Zaid (Part 1)

8/13/2024
Summary Jefferson Morley and Mark Zaid join Andrew in a debate over the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. Mark and Jeff are longtime friends and colleagues with very different viewpoints of what truly happened on November 22nd, 1963. What You’ll Learn Intelligence The lasting questions surrounding the Kennedy assassination Lee Harvey Oswald’s intelligence connections The Warren Commission and the JFK Assassination Records The strangest theories Mark and Jeff have heard, and the most plausible explanations of who killed President Kennedy Reflections Public distrust and the search for truth Reactions and responses to tragedy And much, much more … Quotes of the Week ”That's why I think they probably have something to hide. Because it doesn't make sense otherwise … If they had access to that kind of straightforward story, we would get that.” – Jefferson Morley. Resources SURFACE SKIM *SpyCasts* The Skinny on American Intelligence & the Law with D.C. “Super Lawyer” Mark Zaid (2024) Rise of Devils: The Origins of Modern Terrorism with James Crossland (2024) Havana Syndrome – A Panel featuring Nicky Woolf, Marc Polymeropoulos, and Mark Zaid (2023) The Past 75 Years with Historian of the CIA Rhodri Jeffreys-Jones (2022) *Beginner Resources* Lee Harvey Oswald, Britannica (2024) [Short biography] JFK Files: What we're learning from newly released Kennedy assassination records, CBS News, YouTube (2022) [6 min. video] Kennedy Assassination Timeline, The Sixth Floor Museum (n.d.) [Timeline of events] DEEPER DIVE Books The Devil's Chessboard: Allen Dulles, the CIA, and the Rise of America's Secret Government, D. Talbot (Harper Perennial, 2016) JFK and the Unspeakable: Why He Died and Why It Matters, J. W. Douglass (Touchstone, 2010) Our Man in Mexico: Winston Scott and the Hidden History of the CIA, J. Morley (University Press of Kansas, 2008) Primary Sources President John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act (1992) Select Committee on Assassinations Report (1978) Warren Commission Report (1964) LBJ Address to Congress (1963) Interrogation of Lee Harvey Oswald (1963) JFK Autopsy Report (1963) The President John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection *Wildcard Resource* Test how you would do in Kennedy’s shoes by playing 13 Days: The Cuban Missile Crisis, 1962 – A two-player board game that tests your quick-thinking strategy and conflict resolution skills. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Duration:01:15:02

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

The Murder of an IRA Spy with Henry Hemming

8/6/2024
Summary Henry Hemming (X, Website) joins Andrew (X; LinkedIn) to discuss the case of Frank Hegarty, a British spy operating within the IRA. Henry is a bestselling espionage author. What You’ll Learn Intelligence Espionage and the role of MI5 within the Troubles The story of Frank Hegarty, a British spy working in Derry Freddie Scappaticci, or Stakeknife, and Operation Kenova The moral implications of spying Reflections Sacrifice, risk, and trust The nuances of conflict And much, much more … Quotes of the Week “This is where it becomes, morally, much more complex. What’s difficult … is that most of the handlers who were faced with these decisions didn't have adequate training. They didn't know what the law said. They didn't know exactly what the limits were to what they could and could not do … And suddenly, as we're beginning to find out, mistakes were made.” – Henry Hemming. Resources SURFACE SKIM *SpyCasts* Irish Garda Intelligence Chief with Assistant Commissioner Michael McElgunn (2023) Espionage and the Two Queens with Kent Tiernan (2023) The IRA, The Troubles & Intelligence with Eleanor Williams and Thomas Leahy (2022) *Beginner Resources* Why is Ireland Divided? History Matters, YouTube (2022) [3 min. video] What You Need to Know About The Troubles, Imperial War Museum (n.d.) [Short article] A Brief History of Ireland, T. Lambert, Local Histories (n.d.) [Short article] DEEPER DIVE Books Stakeknife's Dirty War: The Inside Story of Scappaticci, the IRA’s Nutting Squad, and the British Spooks who Ran the War, R. O’Rawe (Merrion Press, 2023) The Intelligence War against the IRA, T. Leahy (Cambridge University Press, 2020) Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland, P. Radden Keefe (Anchor, 2020) Primary Sources Operation Kenova Interim Report (2024) Report of the Bloody Sunday Inquiry (2010) The Good Friday Agreement (1998) The Anglo-Irish Agreement (1985) IRA Green Book (1977) Guerrilla Warfare Handbook for IRA Volunteers (1956) *Wildcard Resource* Much of the events mentioned in this week’s episode take place in Derry, or Londonderry, Northern Ireland. Check out one of Erin’s favorite TV shows, Derry Girls – It tells the story of a young group of friends growing up in Derry during the Troubles. The town loved the show so much, they erected a mural to immortalize the five fictional friends that represented so many of their own upbringings in Derry. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Duration:01:07:37

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

Reporting Intelligence - with Warren Strobel and Brett Forrest of the Wall Street Journal

7/30/2024
Summary Brett Forrest and Warren Strobel join Andrew to discuss reporting intelligence. Brett and Warren are national security reporters for The Wall Street Journal. What You’ll Learn Intelligence The intelligence learning curve Stories from the front lines of modern conflicts and critical moments The unique challenges that come with reporting on intelligence, and ... The risks, including being a target of espionage Reflections Privacy and protection The power, and danger, of sharing information And much, much more … Episode Notes This week on SpyCast, Andrew was joined in the studio by Brett Forrest and Warren Strobel, intelligence correspondents at the Wall Street Journal. As SpyCast listeners will know, issues of intelligence and espionage are constantly going on all around us – But how does the public stay in the know and up to date on the latest cases and news from around the world? Well, that's where these two come in. Quotes of the Week “It's about knocking on every possible door that you can imagine, that you can come up with, that you can dig up. And, all you're hoping for is one of those doors to open. You know, you knock on a hundred doors, you get 99 doors to open. You just want that one door to open because that's where the information is. That's where the source is. So, I don't know if I would call that luck, I would call that persistence.” - Brett Forrest Resources SURFACE SKIM *SpyCasts* Zelensky, Ukraine, and Intelligence with Simon Shuster (2024) China’s Corporate Spy War with CNBC’s Eamon Javers (2023) My Life Looking at Spies & the Media with Paul Lashmar (2021) The Women of NatSec Journalism – 6 Leading Journalists (2017) *Beginner Resources* A Brief History of Journalism in America, M. A. McIntosh, Brewminate (2022) [Short article] A History of The Wall Street Journal, G. Hughes, Historic Newspapers (2021) [Short article] What Is Journalism and Why Does it Matter? CTRL-F, YouTube (2018) [3 min. Video] DEEPER DIVE Books Spies, Spin and the Fourth Estate, P. Lashmar (EUP, 2021) Spies and the Media in Britain, R. Norton-Taylor (IBT, 2018) Spinning Intelligence, R. Dover and M. Goodman (CUP, 2009) Articles How Cuba Recruits Spies to Penetrate Inner Circles of the U.S. Government, B. Forrest & W. Strobel, The Wall Street Journal (2024) Reporters who covered U.S. invasion of Iraq reflect on impact of war, N. Schifrin & Z. Warsi, PBS News (2023) Russian Spy or Ukrainian Hero? The Strange Death of Denys Kiryeyev, B. Forrest, The Wall Street Journal (2023) In Ukraine, New Reports of War Crimes Emerge as Russians Retreat From Kyiv Area, B. Forrest, The Wall Street Journal (2022) Questioning the Case for War, C. A. Preble, CATO Institute (2018) CIA Intercepts Underpin Assessment Saudi Crown Prince Targeted Khashoggi, W. Strobel, The Wall Street Journal (2018) Video Lost Son with Brett Forrest, International Spy Museum, YouTube (2023) Ukrainians in Bucha reflect on horrors and brutality suffered at hands of Russian forces, PBS News (2023) Primary Sources It is time to do everything to make the war crimes of the Russian military the last manifestation of this evil on earth - address by the President of Ukraine (2022) UN Report on the Killing of Civilians in Ukraine (2022) McClatchy (Knight Ridder) Iraq Intelligence Archive (2001-2007) Reporting the War (2005) *Wildcard Resource* Shock and Awe (2017) Starring James Marsden as Warren Strobel! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Duration:01:18:12

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

Leading United States Central Command - with General Frank McKenzie

7/23/2024
Summary General Frank McKenzie (Biography, LinkedIn) joins Andrew (X; LinkedIn) to discuss his new book, The Melting Point. General McKenzie was the 14th commander of the United States Central Command. What You’ll Learn Intelligence Combatant commands and their purpose Leading CENTCOM, Central Command The role of intelligence in military leadership The US withdrawal from Afghanistan Reflections Learning from the lessons of history The importance and impact of leadership And much, much more … Quotes of the Week “What that leads you to is really, intelligence. It paints that picture and it describes the operational environment within which you can operate. So here's the risk. If you're an aggressive commander … There's a temptation to lean on intelligence to tell you what you want to hear, shape the information … In the back of your mind, you need to recognize, you can't go into it with what I would call confirmation bias.” – General Frank McKenzie. Resources SURFACE SKIM *Spotlight Resource* The Melting Point: High Command and War in the 21st Century, Kenneth F. McKenzie (Naval Institute Press, 2024) *SpyCasts* CIA Director, Defense Secretary, Gentleman with Leon Panetta (2024) David Petraeus on Ukraine & Intelligence with the former CIA Director & 4* General (2023) Intelligence, Special Operations, and Strategy with Michael Vickers (2023) Irregular Warfare & Intelligence with IWC Director Dennis Walters (2023) *Beginner Resources* CENTCOM, Encyclopaedia Britannica (2024) [Encyclopedia entry] Why the Middle East is so important to the US, BBC World Service, YouTube (2024) [10 min. video] Combatant Commands, U.S. Department of Defense (n.d.) [Brief overviews of the 11 Unified Combatant Commands] DEEPER DIVE Primary Sources Retirement Ceremony Honors CENTCOM Commander (2022) U.S. Central Command Statement on the Realignment of the State of Israel (2021) Memorandum Re: January 2020 Airstrike in Iraq Against Qassem Soleimani (2020) Agreement for Bringing Peace to Afghanistan (2020) Remarks by President Trump on the Death of ISIS Leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi (2019) Goldwater-Nichols Act (1986) *Wildcard Resource* Letter from Abraham Lincoln to Ulysses S. Grant (1863) In this famous letter, Lincoln congratulates Major General Grant on his leadership during the Siege of Vicksburg, a critical success for the Union army. Perhaps not often done by a president, Lincoln here admits his strategy was wrong, and praises the intellect and military prowess of Grant. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Duration:01:13:25