Tracking Santa: How a Cold War Mistake Became a Holiday Tradition
NORAD Tracks Santa Operations Center 2007. NORAD Public Affairs, Sgt. 1st Class Gail Braym. The NORAD Santa Tracker, a beloved holiday tradition, has its roots in the Cold War era.…
Intrepid’s Influence: How William Stephenson Helped Shape the OSS
Donovan presenting Stephenson with the Medal of Merit in 1946. Photo courtesy of The Intrepid Society, William Stephenson CC MC DFC, famously known by his codename “Intrepid,” played a pivotal…
Jack Hemingway: A Life of Adventure
Jack Hemingway entered the army as an officer with the military police; but spent most of WWII assigned to the OSS. Photo: Ernest Hemingway Photograph Collection/John F. Kennedy Presidential Library…
Cary Grant: The Actor Who Spied for Britain
Photo of Cary Grant from the film “North by Northwest” (1959). Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Cary Grant, the iconic British-born American actor known for his suave demeanor and classic films, led a life…
The Vesper: A James Bond Classic
Pexels photo by Engin Akyurt. The Vesper cocktail, also known as the Vesper Martini, is a drink that has become synonymous with sophistication and intrigue, thanks to its association with…
The Great Escape: The True Story of WWII’s Most Daring POW Breakout
Stalag Luft III. Imperial War Museum photo. The Great Escape, a 1963 film starring Steve McQueen, James Garner, and Richard Attenborough, is a classic war movie that dramatizes the daring…
Jeanne Vertefeuille: The Spy Catcher
The mole hunt team. Jeanne Ruth Vertefeuille (December 23, 1932 – December 29, 2012) was a distinguished CIA officer known for her pivotal role in uncovering the actions of Aldrich…
Seneca’s Stoicism: Ethical Theory and Practical Advice
Preparatory plaster sculpture of Nero and Seneca by Eduardo Barrón (1904) . A modern bronze copy is now at the Glorieta Llanos del Pretorio in Cordoba. Museo del Prado /…
Defendu: From the Streets of Shanghai to the Battlefields of WWII
Defendu, also known as the Fairbairn Fighting System or Gutter Fighting, is a contemporary martial art created by William E. Fairbairn and Eric A. Sykes prior to World War II.…
How James Bond Helped Win the Cold War
The Sirkeci Terminal in Istanbul was used as a filming location for the James Bond film “From Russia with Love”. James Bond, the suave British secret agent created by Ian…