Wartime SpiesBy. Bjorn Lervick

Introduction

• Espionage is the act of spying. Espionage is older than war. Prehistoric people most likely spied on their neighbors for hunting ideas. Espionage can be spying on a country, person or organization. Many governments use spies to get information for their military. This is especially important during war. Intelligence organizations like the CIA (Central Intelligence Agency), KGB (Komitet Gosudarstvennoy Bezopasnosti) and MI6 (Military Intelligence, Section 6) rely on secret agents for vital information.

What is a spy?

• A spy is someone who tries to get top secret information from other spy organizations and countries. Spying began thousands of years ago when countries where at war. When spies are caught they are usually executed. Spies often know many languages. They have to be loyal to their country and not lie. A mole is a spy who tries to infiltrate into other countries intelligence agencies. A mole is also called a sleeper agent or a penetration agent.

Wartime spies

Spies have operated in almost every war. It is crucial to learn enemies secrets for success. A great example of this was during WWII at the Battle of Midway. The U.S. was able to break the Japanese military code and destroy their fleet. Although spying is dangerous it is also very important. Although many people over look it, there are some female spies too, like Virginia Hall. Another famous male spy is Moe Berg, who was a baseball spy. When his team traveled to Japan for an All-Star game, he went on top of a hospital and spied on the military. Spies have lots of intelligence and creativity.

Spy gadgets

• Some spies have interesting gadgets. Spy gadgets are used to track people, and sometimes they are secret weapons. One of the best places to see spy gadgets in real life is the International Spy Museum in Washington, D.C. An example of a gadget is a grenade. The Americans were more used to throwing a baseball, so they made a round grenade instead of a pineapple shaped one. Spy gadgets brought spying to the next level.

Glossary

• Camera: An instrument used to take pictures or videos.• Espionage: The practice of spying or of using spies, typically by

governments to obtain political and military information.• Gadget: A small mechanical device or tool.• Mole: Someone within an organization who anonymously betrays

confidential information.• CIA: A US Federal Agency responsible for coordinating government

intelligence activities. • KGB: the state security police (1954–91) of the former Soviet Union.• MI6: (in the UK) the governmental agency responsible for dealing

with matters of internal security and counter-intelligence overseas• FBI: Federal Bureau of Investigation.• Counter-Intelligence: activities designed to prevent spying, by an

enemy.

Bibliography

• Aldrich Ames. Brittanica Online Encyclopedia. Web. 25 Jan. 2013. http://www.britannica.com/Ebchecked/topic/20439/Aldric-Ames.

• Cambridge Five. Wikipedia. Web. 25 Jan. 2013. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cambridge_Five

• King, Bart. The Big Book of Spy Stuff. Gibbs Smith, 2011.

• Klaus Fuchs. Wikipedia. Web. 25 Jan. 2013. http://en.wikipediea .org/wiki/Klaus_Fuchs.

• Moe Berg. Wikipedia. Web. 31 Jan. 2014. http://en.Wikipedia.org/wiki/Moe_Berg.

• O`Shei, Tim. Spy Basics. Edge Books: Mankato, MN, 2008.

• Platt, Richard. Eyewitness Spy. DK Publishing: NY, NY, 2009

• Stewart, James. Spies and Traitors. Smart Apple Media: N. Mankato, MN, 2008

Quiz

• 1. Where is the international spy museum?

Washington D.C.

• 2. What does CIA stand for?

Central intelligence agency

• 3. What is a mole?

A sleeper agent or a penetration agent.

• 4. What is a spy gadget?

A small device or tool to track people.

• 5. What sport did Moe Berg play?

Baseball.

• 6. What does espionage mean?

The act of spying.