Summary
Overview
This episode chronicles Kim Philby's most dangerous period as a Soviet mole from 1945-1949, when he ran MI6's anti-Soviet operations while secretly betraying them to Moscow. The episode details two critical defector cases—Guzenko and Volkov—that nearly exposed Philby, his posting to Istanbul where he sent agents to their deaths, and his ultimate promotion to Washington. As the pressure mounts, Philby's personal life deteriorates through alcoholism and his wife Aileen's mental breakdown, yet he continues his high-wire act of betrayal.
The Guzenko Defection and Early Cold War Tensions
In September 1945, Soviet cipher clerk Igor Guzenko defected in Ottawa with secrets exposing extensive Soviet espionage against Western allies. This defection marked the starting gun for Cold War intelligence operations, as Western agencies realized the depth of Soviet spying despite their wartime alliance. The intelligence reports flowed directly to Philby's Section 9, allowing him to warn Moscow and help Soviet agents avoid capture, though some like Alan Nunn May were eventually arrested.
- Igor Guzenko defected in September 1945 from the Soviet embassy in Ottawa with documents revealing extensive Soviet espionage
- Guzenko's intelligence revealed Soviet spies in the atomic bomb program and became the starting gun for Cold War intelligence operations
- Defector reports came directly to Philby's Section 9, allowing him to alert Moscow and help agents avoid capture
- Jane Archer, an MI5 expert on communism, joined Section 9, making Philby nervous about potential suspicions
" They're spying on us this much from Moscow. And so in many ways, this kind of Krasenko defection is the kind of starting gun for the Cold War in terms of intelligence, because they're realising, well, we've not been spying on them, but they are spying on us. "
The Volkov Defection: Philby's Closest Call
Konstantin Volkov, a Soviet intelligence officer in Istanbul, approached the British in August 1945 offering to defect with information about 314 agents in Turkey, 250 in Britain, and specifically mentioning spies including one who 'fulfilled the function of the head of a section of the British counter espionage service in London.' When the offer reached London via diplomatic bag, it landed directly on Philby's desk—essentially his own death warrant. Through a combination of deliberate delays and extraordinary luck, Philby managed to alert Moscow, travel slowly to Istanbul, and arrive just after Volkov and his wife had been drugged, smuggled onto a Soviet aircraft in bandages, and taken to the Lubyanka for torture and execution.
- Volkov offered to defect with information about Soviet agents, including one heading a British counter-espionage section, for £50,000
- The British initially ignored Volkov's approach, thinking it was a prank, delaying the response
- Volkov insisted all communications go by diplomatic bag because the Soviets had broken British codes
- The diplomatic bag took 10 days to reach London, and the letter went directly to the MI6 chief, who summoned Philby
- Philby was reading what could be his own death warrant in front of the chief but showed no reaction
- The designated officer, Brigadier Roberts, refused to fly, allowing Philby to volunteer to go to Istanbul
- Philby's flight was diverted to Tunis due to storms, adding crucial delays
" I stared at the papers rather longer than necessary to compose my thoughts. "
" It's Volkov or Philby, isn't it? It's as simple as that. If Volkov gets out, Philby is, well, he may not be dead. I guess that is the difference. You know, he's not going to get tortured. He's just going to go to jail for a long time. "
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