The Spy Who Defused the Missile Crisis | Hero or Madman? | 2

The Spy Who

Wondery

History

4.6 • 669 Ratings

🗓️ 16 July 2024

⏱️ 42 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

After months of missed opportunities, the CIA and MI6 are about to meet Penkovsky. But with Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev squaring up to the US President John F. Kennedy over West Berlin, his information could have thermonuclear consequences.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Wonderry Plus subscribers can binge full seasons of the Spy Who early and add free on Apple Podcasts or the Wondery app.
0:14.3	April 1961, the Mount Royal Hotel, near Marble Arch, London.
0:23.8	Oleg Penkovsky sits at the large dinner table surrounded by the other members of the Soviet
0:28.9	science delegation he leads. It's the first night of their trip to London. Drinks are flowing,
0:36.2	and the mood is celebratory.
0:38.8	Pankowski looks past the empty wine bottles littering the table
0:42.1	and catches the eye of Greville Wynne,
0:45.1	the British businessman who is helping MI6 make contact with him.
0:50.4	Wyn glances at his watch and shoots Penkovsky a pointed look.
0:55.0	Penkovsky pretends not to notice.
0:58.0	He was due to meet his CIA and MI6 contacts upstairs in room 360 over 20 minutes ago.
1:06.0	But to leave the dinner early would arouse suspicion.
1:14.2	One of the Soviet delegates raises his glass.
1:19.4	Comrades, a toast to the success of our mission here in London.
1:21.5	Nasdrovier.
1:23.2	Nasdrovier.
1:29.4	Penkovsky knocks back his glass along with everyone else at the table, then stands.
1:33.9	Well, gentlemen, it's a busy day tomorrow. I think I'll head up to bed.
1:38.6	But, comrade, we haven't even toasted the health of Premier Khrushchev.
1:47.3	Penkovsky scans the faces of his fellow delegates. He urgently wants to go meet MI6 and the CIA,
1:51.1	but he also has to assume that at least one of these men is monitoring the group for the KGB.
1:54.3	Refusing to drink to the Soviet leader's health
	...

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