AFIO Now Presents: Stevel Vogel

Steve Vogel, a veteran journalist who reported for The Washington Post for more than two decades, discusses his 2019 book, "Betrayal in Berlin: The True Story of the Cold War's Most Audacious Espionage Operation." Vogel explains the state of US-Soviet relations in 1950s - particularly reflected in the divided city of Berlin -  and describes CIA's plan to construct a clandestine tunnel into East Berlin to tap into critical Soviet telecommunication lines. The plan known in the U.S. as "Operation Gold," was aided by our UK intelligence allies, which called it "Operation Stopwatch." Vogel illuminates the difficulties, risks of exposure, betrayals, and benefits gained from the audacious and ultimately successful covert operation. Recorded 28 Jan 2021. Interviewer: Jim Hughes, AFIO President and former CIA Operations Officer.