What It Was Really Like To Be A Cold War Spy
By Sarah Crocker/Feb. 5, 2021 4:51 pm EDT
Saying that the Cold War was a tense period of time is surely understating the matter. From the end of World War II, the allies of the United States and the Soviet Union quickly turned against one another in a battle for worldwide domination. The simmering conflict lasted until 1991, History reports, though the collapse had been preceded by years of de-escalating tensions between the two superpowers.
Stakes were high during the height of the Cold War, however. For many, the Cuban Missile Crisis of October 1962, where it appeared most likely that the Cold War was going to turn dangerously hot, was a clear example of the danger posed by the opposite side. All of this tension meant, at least to officials, that every single advantage, no matter how small or how long it took to gain it, could mean the difference between maintaining the peace and dealing with World War III. This, then, is where the
PETER SAGAL, HOST: One of the most interesting people we spoke to this year was somebody we had never heard of before, which was quite intentional on her part.
BILL KURTIS: Jonna Mendez worked in the CIA for decades, rising to become the first-ever master of disguise. Peter asked her if that was a real job title.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED NPR BROADCAST)
JONNA MENDEZ: A lot of people are amazed at that title. Yeah, we had quite an effort underway in the field of disguise.
SAGAL: And there s a very famous story, just to sort of start right off with your level of expertise, that you went in to the Oval Office with the first President Bush disguised as somebody else and he couldn t tell.
Small Details You Missed In Lupin III: The First
Small Details You Missed In Lupin III: The First
By Renata Carmen/Dec. 21, 2020 8:50 am EDT
Lupin III: The First is an action-packed comedy heist adventure the whole family can enjoy. Based on the timeless Japanese manga written and illustrated by genius mastermind Kazuhiko Katō, better known by his pen name Monkey Punch, this Japanese 3DCG animation seamlessly blends multiple genres into one thrilling technicolor dream ride. Anime s creativity and the cool swagger of 60s spy flicks meets the cutting edge allure of samurai pop mixed with the adventure archeology of Indiana Jones. It s the blend of genres you never knew you wanted, but will instantly fall in love with once you ve seen it.