I Will Die For Britain: The Persistence and Perseverance of Oleg Gordievsky

03/05/22 • 111 min

What makes a Londoner, a Londoner? What constitutes identity? These are two of the many essential questions that we continue to explore in this harrowing conclusion to our story about Oleg Gordievsky, a KGB colonel turned MI6 agent, the second episode in a three-part arc exploring espionage in and around Great Britain. We’ll question what motivates Gordievsky to continue to spy for England rather than defect to London when his life is at stake, and examine how his choices greatly affected both his personal life and the world at-large.

We will study:

Gordievsky as a double agent working for MI6 within the Soviet Rezidentura, first in Copenhagen, then in London
his contributions to Western security
his purely ideological motivation
MI6 and their plan to protect and exfiltrate their prized spy, if necessary
the impact and aftermath of Oleg’s decisions on his personal life and that of his family
the complicated relationships between allied intelligence agencies
the despicable traitor who sacrificed Gordievsky for his own personal gain

Why does a man who has already given another country everything he has keep going when he knows his life is in mortal peril? You won’t want to miss this incredible story of dedication, heroism, and ultimate betrayal.
NOTE OF APOLOGY: While editing, Jen discovered a regrettable mistake of tongue, and she deeply regrets unintentionally referring to Ukraine as “The Ukraine” twice in this episode. This unfortunate error was the result of an old habit learned during Cold War era grade school social studies classes, and she is dedicated to removing that phrasing from her vernacular. She absolutely recognizes Ukraine as an independent nation and not as a region within Russia. As such, she would like to extend a sincere apology for the error. YLT firmly supports Ukraine and its people! 🇺🇦 ✊🏼🇺🇦
Additional notes, links, and photos can be found in our show notes: https://docs.google.com/document/d/112nA9KZFWQHe4gF7Hc4MQxZfOuyCYYBO9w2hWI64ULM/edit
Do you like what you hear? Please help us find our audience by spreading some good cheer with a 5 star rating and review on Apple Podcasts!
Our website https://yltpodcast.buzzsprout.com/

We will study:

Gordievsky as a double agent working for MI6 within the Soviet Rezidentura, first in Copenhagen, then in London
his contributions to Western security
his purely ideological motivation
MI6 and their plan to protect and exfiltrate their prized spy, if necessary
the impact and aftermath of Oleg’s decisions on his personal life and that of his family
the complicated relationships between allied intelligence agencies
the despicable traitor who sacrificed Gordievsky for his own personal gain

Previous Episode

The Making of a Double Agent: Oleg Gordievsky & MI6

What makes a Londoner, a Londoner? Is it exclusively by birth? Does one achieve the status after residing there a certain number of years? After working there for a period of time? After studying there or completing a course of study?

It is hard to define; it is an identity, and it’s problematic to dictate parameters of identity to anyone else, or to assign an identity to another person. The issue of identity becomes especially murky when one takes a peak into the world of espionage and treachery.

In this episode, the first of a three-part arc focusing on espionage and intrigue, we will meet Oleg Gordievsky, a KGB Colonel turned British spy. We’ll learn about what motivated him to turn against the country of his birth, and explore the events that inspired the unique trajectory of his life.

We’ll view Gordievsky:

· as a young university student witnessing the rise of the Berlin Wall,

· as a conflicted young adult appalled by the atrocities of the government of his homeland and of his employer, the KGB,

· as a lover and advocate of fine culture,

· as a KGB officer abroad exploring the capitalistic fruits of the West in Copenhagen,

· as a unique man who becomes a double agent for purely ideological reasons.

How did a man born thousands of miles outside of the city become a true Londoner before ever breathing British air? Let’s dig more deeply into the intense and inspiring life of Oleg Gordievsky together.
Additional notes, links, and photos can be found in our show notes: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-IQca3oK0XUOfMl8OXy3e5jTVLbWLXZLbqKn7C29PJI/edit
Do you like what you hear? Please help us find our audience by spreading some good cheer and rating us 5 stars and reviewing us on Apple Podcasts!
Our website https://yltpodcast.buzzsprout.com/

Next Episode

But the Chap is One of Us! The Privilege That Enabled the Treachery of Kim Philby

How was British classism was responsible for greatest leak ever known in British intelligence?What is the legacy of that treachery? In this episode, the final in a three-part arc exploring espionage in and around Great Britain, we meet the infamous Kim Philby, the British national and MI6 agent who spied for Moscow for decades while under the employ of MI6. How was he able to deceive so many otherwise bright people for so long? Why were so many reluctant to accept the truth about his deceit? Join us as we examine the system that allowed Philby to prosper as a double agent, and study the effects of his betrayal over the decades since his defection to the USSR.

We will discuss:

Philby’s childhood in British colonial India
his radicalisation in Vienna after graduation from Cambridge
his role in the formation of the infamous Cambridge Spy Ring
the six years he spent working for the KGB before his acceptance at MI6
how Philby’s social standing and class blinded his colleagues to his deceit
the collateral damage of his espionage in Britain and beyond
the family he left behind

How does an openly Soviet sympathiser, one already working for the KGB for six years, slip so easily into the British Secret Intelligence Service? How did he persist in derailing Western operations for decades? Join us as we explore the system that allowed unchecked privilege to turn into treasonous treachery.

Additional notes, links, and photos can be found in our show notes: https://docs.google.com/document/d/11lFJyX4yJTNXD-nWN8P_DS2aQoangPG5gdxMPjZnwGA/edit
Do you like what you hear? Please help us find our audience by spreading some good cheer with a 5 star rating and review on Apple Podcasts!
Our website https://yltpodcast.buzzsprout.com/