CIA and MI6 Covert Action in Communist Albania at the Dawn of the Cold War (459)

Cold War Conversations - "vivid & compelling" The NY Times

Ian Sanders

History, Documentary, Society & Culture

4.8 • 865 Ratings

🗓️ 5 June 2026

⏱️ 68 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

In June 1949, the US and British governments secretly agreed to mount a joint covert action operation to overthrow the communist government in Albania. The top-secret plan would use exiled dissidents to conduct subversive intelligence, paramilitary and propaganda operations to foment an uprising against Albania's authoritarian ruler Enver Hoxha. I speak with Stephen Long, the author of A Rich Harvest of Bitter Fruit: CIA and MI6 Covert Action in Communist Albania at the Dawn of the Cold War. He describes how the Albanian operation is a vital but misunderstood part of Cold War history and the West’s first secret attempt to subvert a communist state behind the Iron Curtain. While the West ultimately backed away from trying to bring down Hoxha's regime, Albania was the test case of anti-communist covert action where the West served its apprenticeship before rolling out this capability on a global scale. It’s a tale of subterfuge, secrecy, and skulduggery that is a fascinating examination of one of the most important and least examined major flashpoints of the Cold War. Buy the book and support the podcast https://amzn.to/43cBbXJ Episode extras https://coldwarconversations.com/episode459/ Enter the book Giveaway here https://coldwarconversations.com/giveaway/ Help me preserve Cold War history via a simple monthly donation, You’ll become part of our community, get ad-free episodes, and receive a sought-after CWC coaster as a thank-you, and you’ll bask in the warm glow of knowing you are helping to preserve Cold War history. Just go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ If a monthly contribution is not your cup of tea, we also welcome one-off tips via the same link. Find the ideal gift for the Cold War enthusiast in your life! Just go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://coldwarconversations.com/store/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ CONTINUE THE COLD WAR CONVERSATION o BlueSky ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/coldwarpod.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ o Threads ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.threads.net/@coldwarconversations⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ o Twitter/X ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/ColdWarPod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ o Facebook ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/groups/coldwarpod/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ o Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/coldwarconversations/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ o Youtube ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://youtube.com/@ColdWarConversations⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	Welcome to Cold War Conversations, the home of real stories of the Cold War.
0:05.8	Ready to launch your business? Get started with the commerce platform made for entrepreneurs.
0:10.3	Shopify is specially designed to help you start, run and grow your business with easy customizable themes that let you build your brand.
0:17.6	Marketing tools that get your products out there.
0:19.8	Integrated shipping solutions
0:21.0	that actually save you time. From startups to scale-ups, online, in-person, and on the go.
0:26.7	Shopify is made for entrepreneurs like you. Sign up for your $1 a month trial at Shopify.com
0:32.3	slash setup.
0:36.4	Attention all passengers.
0:38.7	The Uber ride for Mark and Jamal's romantic weekend will depart in four minutes from Platform 6.
0:45.0	Your ride comes with a rolling countryside sunset view and a table seat ideal for playing footsie beneath.
0:52.4	Thank you for booking your tickets on Uber.
0:56.2	Trains on Uber.
0:58.3	It's extremely rare to come across files that detail the kind of field operations,
1:04.5	the coal face of intelligence operations like this.
1:08.8	In June 1949, the US and British government secretly agreed to mount a joint covert action
1:15.5	operation to overthrow the communist government in Albania.
1:19.5	The top secret plan would use exile dissidents to conduct subversive intelligence, paramilitary
1:25.2	and propaganda operations to ferment an uprising against Albania's
1:29.8	authoritarian ruler Enver Hodger. I speak with Stephen Long, the author of A Rich Harvest of Bitter
1:36.9	Fruit, CIA and MI6 covert action in communist Albania at the dawn of the Cold War.
1:50.1	He describes how the Albanian operation is a vital but misunderstood part of Cold War history and the West's first secret attempt to subvert a communist state behind the Iron Curtain
	...

Transcript will be available on the free plan in 26 days. Upgrade to see the full transcript now.

Previous episode

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Ian Sanders, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of Ian Sanders and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.