Espionage and Covert Operations: A Global History
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Espionage and Covert Operations: A Global History
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Narrated by:
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Vejas Gabriel Liulevicius
About this listen
Step into the real world of the spy with this detailed and unforgettable tour of the millennia-long history and enduring legacy of espionage and covert operations. While most of us associate this top-secret subject with popular fiction and film, its true story is more fascinating, surprising, and important than you could possibly imagine.
These 24 thrilling lectures survey how world powers have attempted to work in the shadows to gain secret information or subvert enemies behind the scenes. Filled with stories and insights that will change the way you think about world history's most defining events, this course lets you peer inside a subject whose truths most people are unaware of.
Professor Liulevicius introduces you to the inner workings of covert organizations, including the Oprichnina, a feared secret service established by tsar Ivan the Terrible in the 1500s in an effort to cleanse Russia of treasonous activities; the CIA, established in 1947 by President Truman to replace the Office of Secret Services to be in charge of all intelligence collection – and which had an embarrassing early history; and Mossad, Israel's version of the CIA, which won a series of key intelligence victories during the cold war and over terror attacks and hostage crises in the second half of the 20th century.
You'll also meet famous – and infamous – spies, including Sir Francis Walsingham, Mata Hari, and Kim Philby. In this stirring series of lectures, you'll study the psychological motives behind spies, the ethics of cyber warfare and corporate espionage, the question of whether we now live in a surveillance society, and more.
PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your My Library section along with the audio.
©2011 The Teaching Company, LLC (P)2011 The Great CoursesListeners also enjoyed...
What listeners say about Espionage and Covert Operations: A Global History
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Al
- 24-09-23
Excellent
Informative, well delivered and humorous. Peppered with interesting historical facts and an interesting insight into the subject
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Hippo
- 12-11-17
Very, enjoyable
Let me first say that I did enjoy this series of lectures and I do recommend them.
The one aspect of the series that I did not like was the deliberate blurring between fact and fiction, musings that the CIA was called “the company” because of the intelligence activities of ancient merchants is ludicrous.
The final lectures on freedom in the internet age are also not really on topic and are little more than shallow platitudes.
On a positive note this ramble through history is both enjoyable and enlightening.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- ConorJoeRyan
- 23-08-19
Worth a listen
Not in depth but engaging and hugely entertaining. This will however provide a decent overview and starting point in further studies of the field. We'll worth a listen to!
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
- Neil Green
- 09-11-17
A good listen
An interesting course, although I found I had heard many of the stories before I found the chapter on spy novels particularly interesting.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- P BENNETT
- 22-03-24
Informative and well delivered
Really enjoyed this course. Loads of good info, lots of good context and an engaging lecturer
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Delta
- 19-10-16
Espionage and Covert Ops Lectures
suprisingly easy to listen to hearing in mind the subject. a little difficult to start, but otherwise very informative
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- James D. Lang
- 04-08-19
Totally Fascinating
Great insights into world events and what certain Governments are willing / able to do to achieve their ends.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Paul Murphy
- 22-05-24
Engaging and thorough
What an excellent lecture series! Recounted in an engaging style, these lectures cover the secret history of espionage over history. A fascinating listen not just for those interested in espionage but also for the light it sheds on world history.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Adrian
- 07-08-13
Good General History
Any additional comments?
This is an interesting series of lectures, all of a half hour in length, which I listened to in a period of four days. I have always been fascinated by spying and espionage and bought these by the title. I enjoyed them, although I would have preferred more detail of the several case histories, they provide a good general overview of the subject if you have no prior knowledge of the subject.
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4 people found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- lilith_farrell
- 03-10-14
Good start point
What made the experience of listening to Espionage and Covert Operations: A Global History the most enjoyable?
The lectures were given in a rather entertaining form, with a lot of information references. So I got the general story about the topic, also got several references to check afterwards if I want. I can't say it's comprehensive but definitely a good start.
What did you like best about this story?
Multiple books recommendation for further reading. Very entertaining.
Which scene did you most enjoy?
The in fact male spy managed to convince a male French diplomat that he was a woman. They then had an affair and the spy later told the diplomat he was pregnant...
Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?
No. Several lectures were linked more closely than others so maybe listen to them in one sitting.
Any additional comments?
I feel like the title 'global' is not quite right for the content. It is more like 'western history', for except for some bits about Ninja and 'the Art of War', the Asian part is largely missing. There is far more information about British, Soviet/Russian, American. Sure, they have been the major players in modern history, still, the course is not global enough to justify the title.
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4 people found this helpful