Ep. 4 | Guy Burgess, British Diplomat and Soviet Spy
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- Опубліковано 7 вер 2024
- The revelation that spies working for the Soviet Union, recruited at Cambridge University in the 1930s, had deeply penetrated the British intelligence and diplomatic systems causes shockwaves throughout the 1950s, 60s and 70s as more and more either defected or were exposed.
The fascinating figure of Guy Burgess was at the heart of the scandal, and his secret flight to Moscow in 1951 stunned the world, shaking confidence in Britain in its Cold War ally, the USA.
Andrew wrote a much acclaimed biography of Burgess and this week he talks Phil through his remarkable story, and that of the other key spies. And they discuss whether Burgess was the most important of them all.
They’re joined by one of Britain’s greatest ever writers on intelligence, Nigel West. Nigel met with Anthony Blunt, one of the most important Cambridge spies, and gained access to previously secret Soviet files.
www.amazon.co....
www.nigelwest.com
Andrew Lownie.
andrewlownie
Phil Craig.
philmcraig
You can now get in touch with the show...
team@podcastworld.org (Place 'Scandal Mongers' in the heading please)
This show is Part of the PodcastWorld.org network.
Recorded in Kentish Town, London.
Production by
Theo X,
Kerem Isik,
David Kurzer.
Available on UA-cam, Apple, Stitcher, Spotify, Soundcloud, Amazon Music, Googleplay, Acast and more!
A much underrated podcast. Maybe merits a revisit.
We'll do a fresh push when Burgess back in news.
Andrew's biography of Burgess is definitive. Fascinating. A complex man. Completely indiscrete and a loose canon. The story goes he saw his Father die in coitus . One can only wonder how this damaged his own psycho sexual development, judgement, and indeed general mental health. And living in a pre Wolfenden era, it must have been challenging and worrying for the homosexual. An idealistic, impetuous young man set on a journey not knowing of his destination in my opinion. Riding the proverbial tiger. Out of his depth. ( On a lighter note, the eccentric Oxford don Maurice Bowra's naughty quips about Burgess still has me in giggles ! )
Fabulous...but I'd like a Part Two (or more). 👍
Scope to return to this as more MI5 files released.
@@andrewlownie2033 I await with baited breath! 👍😘
You asked if listeners enjoyed having a third expert guest to engage with the two "Scandal Mongers." Yes, Nigel West was a superb, all-knowing expert who enriched the discussion. I hope you invite him back as well as other experts in whatever field you are discussing.
Yes we must have him back
Nigel was great yes. I like a mixture of the mongers alone and sometimes with others. Tbh I am not keen on some of the recommendations I see requested and of course I do not have to watch those programmes but I know I am always going to enjoy just the skandal mongers together
Rupert Allason (Nigel West) is so good, and knowledgeable. I also like Christopher Andrew who wrote "The Defence of the Realm".
@@gohr13 Two of the best informed on intelligence alog with Stephen Dorril another guest.
Fabulous and fascinating listening. Thank you!
Thanks so much!
Thanks
Which ever they they turn it seems the spies get shafted. Great show.
Thanks Tina
Well a lot of them have probably not been discovered.
Fascinating as usual. It's not about transatlantic wounded feelings (please not that), but coming to terms with, as 1066 and All That puts it, "America is the new Top Country" surely contributed. Phil, I thought of Bill Hayden, and he adds how much he hates the United States. The divergent styles of capitalism, and the US insistence that the British Empire was a horror while denying their own empirical adventures probably added. Very interesting, Andrew, about absent fathers as a factor. I love your work! Thank you again! ❤❤ (PS: Who murdered Countess Lubienska?)
Will we have The Oxford Spies ? Jolly hope so.
Richard Davenport-Hines is doing a book on them at moment.Not an easy task.
@@andrewlownie2033 he certainly needs to be on the show ! I'm jolly excited !
Phil's question is one I've been asking for years ! How many did Burgess and company send to an early grave ? How much damage ? Is it taking seriously enough? I often get the impression there is an element of romance and heroism in contemporary interpretation. Totally inappropriate.
Difficult to evaluate but I devote final chapter to audit of treachery.
I worked with a lady who was in the same dept as Burgess (or was it McLean!) when he didn’t turn up for work one day
That was Maclean. Can you remember her name/job?
Thanks!
Read some words that reminded me of Burgess , '... treachery is uncomfortably linked with disturbed homosexuals unable to come to terms with their sexual destiny ... It was always so : did not Judas embrace and kiss Christ as he betrayed him ? The link between disturbed homosexuality and treachery is the child's lack of reconciliation between his hatred and love of his Father. '
Food for thought ...
❤❤
Misfiled…good trick.
Learned it from James Comey.
Another trick is to mispell so it doesn't come up in searches.