“Casablanca”: Winning Hearts and Minds in WWII
Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman in a romantic scene. Casablanca, released in 1942, is often hailed as one of the greatest films in American cinema. Beyond its romantic plot and…
Spies in the Crossroads: The OSS’s Strategic Role in Istanbul
Aerial view of the historical peninsula and modern skyline of Istanbul During World War II, the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) played a crucial role in gathering intelligence and conducting…
Hitchcock’s Masterpiece: How “North by Northwest” Shaped the Spy Genre
Photo of Cary Grant & Eva Marie Saint from the film “North by Northwest” (1959). Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. North by Northwest, directed by Alfred Hitchcock and released in 1959, is widely regarded…
The Security Risks of Smartwatches
Pexels photo by Karolina Grabowska Smartwatches have become ubiquitous in our daily lives, offering a range of functionalities from fitness tracking to communication. However, these devices also pose significant counterintelligence…
Secrets of the Khan: Intelligence and Espionage in the Mongol Conquests
Mongol warrior. Genghis Khan: The Exhibition. Photo by William Cho / CC BY-SA 2.0. The Mongol Empire, founded by Genghis Khan in 1206, was the largest contiguous land empire in…
The Strategic Genius of Trần Hưng Đạo: Lessons from History
The three watercolor paintings by Đoàn Thành Lộc depict Saint Trần (Grand Prince Hưng Đạo) and his six generals. Photo by Rio Lam / CC BY-SA 4.0. Trần Hưng Đạo,…
The Evolution of James Bond: From Fleming’s Novels to Modern Adaptations
Bronze bust of the author Ian Fleming by the British sculptor Anthony Smith. Commissioned by the Fleming family to commemorate the centenary of Ian Fleming’s birth in 2008. Photo: Fortheloveofknowledge…
Best of/Interesting Escape and Evasion Intelligence/Spies Tactics Weaponizing the Behavioral Sciences
Building Better Intelligence: The Essential Role of Critical Thinking
“The Thinker in The Gates of Hell” at the Musée Rodin. Photo by Jean-Pierre Dalbéra / CC BY 2.0. Critical thinking is a fundamental skill in the intelligence cycle, which…
The Role of Intelligence and Deception in Ancient Greece
Menelaus and Meriones lifting Patroclus’ corpse on a cart while Odysseus looks on, Etruscan alabaster urn from Volterra, Italy, 2nd century BC Between 1500 B.C. and 1200 B.C., Greece was…
John T. Downey: The CIA Officer Who Was America’s Longest Held POW
John T. Downey (left) and Richard Fecteau at CIA headquarters in 2013. November 17, 2024, marks the 10th anniversary of the passing of former CIA officer John Thomas Downey, often…