SPYCRAFT 101

Justin Black

Welcome to your clandestine classroom.

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Our Editor's Take

The SPYCRAFT 101 podcast is a fascinating exploration of espionage in eras past and present. Spying is an age-old craft many have used to gain the upper hand in business, politics, war, and more. This podcast shares the stories of some world-famous spies. It also examines the moral and ethical dilemmas associated with espionage. Conversations bring up the tips, tricks, and tools many spies use. Everything from what spies sacrifice to their high-value secrets can be part of the podcast.

Justin Black is the creator and host of SPYCRAFT 101. Black once worked as a US operative in Asia, the Middle East, and Central America. He has written several books, including SPY SHOTS: 101 True Tales from the World of Espionage. Covert Arms: Weapons from the World of Spycraft is another of his books. Black is well versed in the American Civil War and Cold War history. On the podcast, Black and his guests discuss the two momentous events and more.

Considered an essential tool, spies have determined the success of many a war or peace effort. Covert operatives obtain information used to oust powerful people from office. In some cases, they have been behind the largest operations in history. On SPYCRAFT 101, listeners learn about some of the biggest stories in espionage. Black and his guests explore the successes, deaths, and famous personalities.

The podcast boasts an impressive roster of interviews. These include historians and military and intelligence community veterans. Authors, history buffs, and enthusiasts are also guests on the podcast. They discuss the art and dangers of undercover work, among many other topics. Listeners hear about classic covert actions in Berlin and famous CIA operations in other parts of the world.

Black's storytelling and intelligent conversations with guests are highlights of the podcast. Every episode contains fascinating pieces of information. Black shares his passion for spycraft and history with zeal. Anyone with an interest in historical espionage might enjoy SPYCRAFT 101.

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HistoryHistory

Episodes

145. Capturing Lothar Witzke: German Spy, Saboteur, and Assassin with Bill Mills
4d ago
145. Capturing Lothar Witzke: German Spy, Saboteur, and Assassin with Bill Mills
This week, Justin speaks with Bill Mills. Bill holds a B.A. in History from Framingham State University and has written four nonfiction books about espionage during the First World War. Along the way, he has amassed a significant private collection of original documents, photos, and artifacts related to espionage during that war. Today he shares story of Germany's highly-coordinated and highly-effective sabotage campaign against the United States during World War I.  Ships, warehouses, and factories across the country were damaged or destroyed by brand new types of destructive devices and a skilled team of saboteurs who evaded capture time and time again until they met their match facing a handful of world class agents from the U. S. Army's Military Intelligence Section. Connect with Bill:Check out Bills most recent book, Agent of the Iron Cross, here.https://amzn.to/3WdLRTGConnect with Spycraft 101:Check out Justin's latest release, Covert Arms, here.spycraft101.comIG: @spycraft101Shop: spycraft-101.myshopify.comPatreon: Spycraft 101Find Justin's first book, Spyshots: Volume One, here.Download the free eBook, The Clandestine Operative's Sidearm of Choice, here.Tenderfoot TVReal. Powerful. Storytelling. Tune in to "To Die For" wherever you listen to podcasts.History by MailWho knew? Not me! Learn something new every month. Use code JUSTIN10 for 10% off your subscription.Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the Show.
144. How Cuba and The Cold War Made Miami with Vince Houghton and Eric Driggs
Apr 22 2024
144. How Cuba and The Cold War Made Miami with Vince Houghton and Eric Driggs
This week Justin interviews Vince Houghton and Eric Driggs. Vince grew up in Miami, Florida, and is a veteran of the U. S. Army, where he served in The Balkans. He went on to receive a master's degree and PhD in Diplomatic and Military History from the University of Maryland. He spent more than six years as the historian and curator for the International Spy Museum in Washington, D. C., and is now the director of the National Cryptologic Museum, located on the National Security Agency campus at Fort Meade, Maryland.  Eric also grew up in Miami and earned his bachelor's degree from Brown University and his Master's degree from Harvard Kennedy School.  He has worked as a Cuba analyst at the University of Miami's Institute for Cuban and Cuban American Studies and later served in the US Coast Guard as a Governmental and External Affairs officer. He's currently a congressional liaison for the United States Southern Command, which oversees all US military activities and operations in Central and South America and the Caribbean.They're here today to tell the story of Miami, Florida in the second half of the 20th century and beyond, and how much the city itself was shaped by the CIA, the CIA. By Cuban exiles, and by the conflicts that define the Cold War.Listen to Vince's first episode, number 130: Nuking the Moon with Vincent HoughtonConnect with Vince and Eric:Vince on Twitter/X: @IntelHistorianCheck out Vince and Eric's book, Covert City, here. Dropping Tuesday, April 23rd.https://amzn.to/4d70HRMConnect with Spycraft 101:Check out Justin's latest release, Covert Arms, here.spycraft101.comIG: @spycraft101Shop: spycraft-101.myshopify.comPatreon: Spycraft 101Find Justin's first book, Spyshots: Volume One, here.Download the free eBook, The Clandestine Operative's Sidearm of Choice, here.History by MailWho knew? Not me! Learn something new every month. Use code JUSTIN10 for 10% off your subscription.Tenderfoot TVReal. Powerful. Storytelling. Tune in to "To Die For" wherever you listen to podcasts.Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the Show.
143. British Military Intelligence in the Falklands with Nick van der Bijl
Apr 15 2024
143. British Military Intelligence in the Falklands with Nick van der Bijl
Today just chats with Nick van der Bijl. Nick served for 24 years as a regular in the British Army in military intelligence, security, and later as an infantry officer in the Territorial Army. He saw active service in Northern Ireland, Belize, and with the 3 Commando Brigade during the Falklands Conflict. Since leaving the service, Nick has published 23 books on military history, covering several different conflicts and eras. This week he discusses his experiences during the Falklands war between Argentina and the United Kingdom, which lasted for 74 days, beginning in April, 1982. Nick was on the ground as a non commissioned officer in the intelligence section of the 3 Commando Brigade as British forces fought to retake the islands and worked to build the intelligence picture for commanders making life and death decisions every day.Check out Nick's book, My Friends, The Enemy, here.https://www.amazon.com/My-Friends-Enemy-Intelligence-Falklands/dp/1445694182Connect with Spycraft 101:Check out Justin's latest release, Covert Arms, here.spycraft101.comIG: @spycraft101Shop: spycraft-101.myshopify.comPatreon: Spycraft 101Find Justin's first book, Spyshots: Volume One, here.Download the free eBook, The Clandestine Operative's Sidearm of Choice, here.Tenderfoot TVReal. Powerful. Storytelling. Tune in to "To Die For" wherever you listen to podcasts.History by MailWho knew? Not me! Learn something new every month. Use code JUSTIN10 for 10% off your subscription.Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the Show.
142. The Cover Up of the Tragic USS Liberty Incident with Phillip F. Tourney
Apr 8 2024
142. The Cover Up of the Tragic USS Liberty Incident with Phillip F. Tourney
This week Justin sits down with Phillip Tourney. Phil enlisted in the U. S. Navy in February 1964. He served two tours on the USS Mauna Kea in the waters off Vietnam, then transferred to the USS Liberty, where he served three more tours. In June 1967, he was aboard the Liberty as a petty officer third class when the ship came under attack by Israeli aircraft and torpedo boats in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. For his actions that day, he received a Bronze Star with "V" Device and a Purple Heart.  Since then, Phil has published three books about the attack on the USS Liberty. He is currently serving as the President of the USS Liberty Veterans Association.  Today Phil discusses the events of June 8, 1967 and their aftermath, and the cover up that soon followed from both the U.S. and Israeli governments.Connect with the Liberty Veterans Association:usslibertyveterans.orgConnect with Spycraft 101:Check out Justin's latest release, Covert Arms, here.spycraft101.comIG: @spycraft101Shop: spycraft-101.myshopify.comPatreon: Spycraft 101Find Justin's first book, Spyshots: Volume One, here.Download the free eBook, The Clandestine Operative's Sidearm of Choice, here.Tenderfoot TVReal. Powerful. Storytelling. Tune in to "To Die For" wherever you listen to podcasts.Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the Show.
141. Benedict Arnold: America's Most Famous Traitor with Aaron Stark
Apr 1 2024
141. Benedict Arnold: America's Most Famous Traitor with Aaron Stark
This week Justin talks with returning guest Aaron Stark. Aaron served in the U S army as an Apache helicopter pilot, including on two tours in Afghanistan. He finished his term of service teaching at his alma mater West Point Military Academy as an assistant professor of economics after completing his master's in business administration at Harvard University. Today he discusses Benedict Arnold, the most famous traitor in American history. Arnold served as a general in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War until his shocking defection to the British Army.Listen to Aaron's first appearance on episode 99: Industrial Espionage: The Downfall of a Great American Company with Aaron Stark See Arnold and Andre's meeting sites here: https://www.aaronstarkbooks.com/arnold-andre/project-three-sng7y-3tr4lConnect with Aaron:aaronstarkbooks.comLinkedIn: Aaron StarkTwitter: @DisruptingTimeConnect with Spycraft 101:Check out Justin's latest release, Covert Arms, here.spycraft101.comIG: @spycraft101Shop: spycraft-101.myshopify.comPatreon: Spycraft 101Find Justin's first book, Spyshots: Volume One, here.Download the free eBook, The Clandestine Operative's Sidearm of Choice, here.Tenderfoot TVReal. Powerful. Storytelling. Tune in to "To Die For" wherever you listen to podcasts.Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the Show.
140. An Atomic Soviet Spy with Ann Hagedorn
Mar 25 2024
140. An Atomic Soviet Spy with Ann Hagedorn
This week Justin talks with Ann Hagedorn. Ann is a former staff writer for the Wall Street Journal and an award winning author of six narrative nonfiction books ranging in topics from thoroughbred horse racing to international kidnapping to unsung heroes of America's anti slavery movement and to the high drama of the tumultuous year 1919.  She's a graduate of Denison University and holds a master's degree from the University of Michigan and Columbia University, plus an honorable honorary doctorate from Denison.  Today, Ann tells the story of an almost completely unknown Soviet spy who infiltrated the Manhattan Project facilities at Oak Ridge, Tennessee and Dayton, Ohio and did so without raising any major suspicions for several years after his return to the Soviet Union. Connect with Ann:annhagedorn.comCheck out her book, Sleeper Agent, here.https://www.amazon.com/Sleeper-Agent-Atomic-America-Away/dp/1501173944Connect with Spycraft 101:Check out Justin's latest release, Covert Arms, here.spycraft101.comIG: @spycraft101Shop: spycraft-101.myshopify.comPatreon: Spycraft 101Find Justin's first book, Spyshots: Volume One, here.Download the free eBook, The Clandestine Operative's Sidearm of Choice, here.Tenderfoot TVReal. Powerful. Storytelling. Tune in to "To Die For" wherever you listen to podcasts.Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the Show.
137. The Hitman, the Dissident, and the Detective with Ray Martinez
Mar 4 2024
137. The Hitman, the Dissident, and the Detective with Ray Martinez
This week, Justin sits down with Ray Martinez. Ray served three consecutive terms as mayor of the city of Fort Collins, Colorado between 1999 and 2005. He was later elected to the Fort Collins City Council, serving a term from 2015 through 2019.  Ray is an active member of several local advisory boards in the Fort Collins area. He's also the author of 15 books and he is the founder of RM Consulting Inc., where he provides consulting services in many different areas, including writing and publishing, business development, marketing, public relations, and more.  But long before Ray began his service as an elected official, he was a police officer and detective with the Fort Collins police department for 25 years beginning in 1974. Today, he's here to discuss what was arguably the biggest case of his career, which began one night in October, 1980 with a wife's frantic call reporting that her husband had been shot in their apartment. From there, it spiraled into a massive story involving international arms traffickers, an ex-Army Special Forces hitman, and a North African dictator and the Central Intelligence Agency. Connect with Ray:raymartinez.comConnect with Spycraft 101:Check out Justin's latest release, Covert Arms, here.spycraft101.comIG: @spycraft101Shop: spycraft-101.myshopify.comPatreon: Spycraft 101Find Justin's first book, Spyshots: Volume One, here.Download the free eBook, The Clandestine Operative's Sidearm of Choice, here.S.O.E. ExpeditionsFollow in the footsteps of legends and retrace some of the most famous operations of WWII.Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the Show.
136. A Vietnamese Agent Hidden for 20 Years with Dr. Larry Berman
Feb 26 2024
136. A Vietnamese Agent Hidden for 20 Years with Dr. Larry Berman
Today Justin talks with Dr. Larry Berman. Larry is a professor emeritus at the University of California, Davis. He has published four books dealing with the history of America's involvement in the Vietnam War. His work has also been featured on C-SPAN, The History Channel, and Vietnam: A Television History.  Today Larry discusses the incredible double life of Phạm Xuân Ẩn,  Time Magazine reporter and Vietnamese communist agent. It's the story of a spy in South Vietnam who went undiscovered for 20 years, even as he worked his way into the highest levels of the South Vietnamese government, the international media and the U. S. Military Assistance Command. Ẩn was a solo agent who gained the trust of everyone who knew him, and used that trust to deliver priceless information to the North Vietnamese time and time again.Connect with Larry:larryberman.netCheck out Larry's book, Perfect Spy, here.https://www.amazon.com/Perfect-Spy-Incredible-Vietnamese-Communist/dp/0060888393Connect with Spycraft 101:Check out Justin's latest release, Covert Arms, here.spycraft101.comIG: @spycraft101Shop: spycraft-101.myshopify.comPatreon: Spycraft 101Find Justin's first book, Spyshots: Volume One, here.Download the free eBook, The Clandestine Operative's Sidearm of Choice, here.Cloaked Entry Co.Are you ready to learn practical skills used by covert operatives? Use code SPYCRAFT101 for $50 off.Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the Show.
135. General James Wilkinson: American Traitor with Howard Cox
Feb 19 2024
135. General James Wilkinson: American Traitor with Howard Cox
Today Justin talks with Howard W. Cox. Howard is a former federal prosecutor, criminal investigator, and senior intelligence service officer. After graduating from Georgetown University Law Center, he served as a trial attorney for the U. S. Army's Judge Advocate General's Corps, followed by many other investigative and prosecutorial assignments throughout The federal government, his final position before retiring from federal service was as the assistant inspector general for investigations at CIA. Howard has come on the podcast discuss his general James Wilkinson's betrayal of the young USA and escape from justice. It's the story of the highest ranking federal employee to ever be investigated for espionage. As the commander in chief of the United States Army, Wilkinson served for more than 40 years under America's first four presidents, all while acting as a secret agent for the government of Spain.Connect with Howard:howardwcox2@gmail.comCheck out Howard's book, American Traitor, here.https://www.amazon.com/American-Traitor-Wilkinsons-Betrayal-Republic/dp/1647123429Connect with Spycraft 101:Check out Justin's latest release, Covert Arms, here.spycraft101.comIG: @spycraft101Shop: spycraft-101.myshopify.comPatreon: Spycraft 101Find Justin's first book, Spyshots: Volume One, here.Download the free eBook, The Clandestine Operative's Sidearm of Choice, here.SLNTProtect your data and devices. Use code SPYCRAFT101 to save 10% off your order.Whale Hunting NewsletterRead about the world's richest and most dangerous individuals, often unknown to the public.Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the Show.
132. Noel Field: Stalin's Last American Spy with Kati Marton
Jan 29 2024
132. Noel Field: Stalin's Last American Spy with Kati Marton
This week, Justin sits down with Kati Marton. Kati is an author, journalist, and correspondent who has worked with National Public Radio and later ABC News, where she was the Bureau Chief in Germany. Her work has appeared in The New Yorker, The Times of London, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, Newsweek, Vanity Fair, and many other publications. She has also published nine books and has served as an advocate for human rights all over the world, including as the chair of the International Women's Health Coalition and on the board of directors for the International Rescue Committee.  I invited Kati onto the podcast to discuss the story of Noel Field, a State Department Foreign Service officer and devoted communist ideologue, who was part of a Soviet spy network inside the U.S. government in the years leading up to World War II.  Noel ultimately suffered tremendous consequences for his role as a spy, but not as a result of a trial in the U.S. Instead, despite his unfailing loyalty to the communist party, he spent years in a Hungarian prison as a suspected double agent.Connect with Kati:en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kati_MartonCheck out Kati's book, True Believer, here.https://www.amazon.com/True-Believer-Stalins-Last-American/dp/1476763763Connect with Spycraft 101:Check out Justin's latest release, Covert Arms, here.spycraft101.comIG: @spycraft101Shop: spycraft-101.myshopify.comPatreon: Spycraft 101Find Justin's first book, Spyshots: Volume One, here.Download the free eBook, The Clandestine Operative's Sidearm of Choice, here.Support the Show.