134 The Cold War, a History of Spies: From Idealistic Heroes to Cynical Émigrés
As the second oldest profession, the existence of espionage is fraught with paradox and coldness: it is the hidden dagger behind a smile amidst drunken revelry, the fatal blow after a feint, the supreme righteousness of brazenly betraying one's country for an ideal, and the madness of being blinded by money and beauty... But when all that is solid melts into air, when the smokeless Cold War is no longer shrouded in fog, and when the tense brinkmanship that once seemed life-or-death has become the dust of history, what becomes of those spies who hid within the "Cloak and Dagger"? In this episode, Sha Qingqing will use his recently published book, "Friend or Foe?: Anecdotes from the Cold War's Sea of Espionage," to meticulously unravel the vicissitudes of espionage activities. When did spying transform from a gentleman's side hustle into a vocation worth shedding blood for, and when did it become a money-making business? For the KGB, why were MI5 and MI6 transparent like sieves? And to what extent did espionage influence—or fail to influence—the outcome of the Cold War? Why do spies sacrifice the self for the greater good, and why do intelligence agencies sacrifice the greater good for the self? What does the legendary mysterious "intelligence" actually look like? Please listen to this episode.
Original Chinese title & description
134 冷战，一部间谍史：从理想主义的英雄到愤世嫉俗的流人
作为第二古老的职业，间谍工作的存在充满了悖论与冷酷：是酒酣耳热之际的笑里藏刀，是故布疑阵后的一招致命，是为理想而悍然叛国的至高大义，是溺于金钱与美色的利令智昏......而当一切坚固的东西都烟消云散了，当没有硝烟的冷战再无迷雾之时，当那些彼时看来命悬一线的剑拔弩张都已成为历史的尘埃后，那些在隐匿于Cloak and Dagger中的间谍又将何去何从？ 本期沙青青将借由其最新出版的《敌友难辨：冷战谍海逸史》一书，细绎间谍活动的种种波谲云诡。间谍何时从一个博雅的副业，变成了可以抛头颅洒热血的志业，而又何时成了赚钱的营生？对于克格勃而言，军情五处、六处为何宛如筛子般单向透明？而为何谍战在何种程度上影响了/或是并未影响冷战结局？间谍为何会因为大义而牺牲小我，而间谍机构又为何会因为小我而牺牲大义？传说中神秘的“情报”，到底长什么样子？敬请收听本期节目。
Participation credit “本期参与者”：沙青青（微信公众号：13号埋立地、小红书：Sha-13号埋立地）。
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