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SPYCRAFT 101

Justin Black
Cold War
Espionage
CIA
World War II
FBI
British Intelligence
Vietnam War
MI6
Soviet Union
World War I
KGB
China
Miami
American Civil War
Communism
The Troubles
Operation Just Cause
Counterintelligence
October Surprise
Irregular Warfare

Welcome to your clandestine classroom.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes258Founded5 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
HistoryGovernment

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Artwork for SPYCRAFT 101

Latest Episodes

Today's guest is

today is Dr. Greg Barnhisel. Greg is a graduate of Reed College, New York University, and the University of Texas at Austin. He is now a professor of English at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He is the editor of Th... more

Today Justin talks with Josh Ireland. Josh has a master's degree in history from the University of York. After graduating, he worked as an editor at Headline and Quercus, two of Great Britain's leading publishing companies. Josh has ghostwritten nume... more

Today Justin sits down with Sam McKnight. Sam is a graduate student at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland. He's also the founder and director of Khthon, a non-governmental organization that uses open source intelligence, satellite imagery, and... more

Today Justin sits down with Dr. Niccolò Petrelli. Niccolò is a research scholar at the Center for International and Strategic Studies at LUISS in Rome, Italy. He earned his Bachelor's degree in Political Science, his Master's degree in International ... more

Key Facts

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Recent Guests

Sam McKnight
Founder and director of Khthon; graduate student at University of St. Andrews
Khthon
Episode: 252. Unearthing War Crimes and Mass Graves Through Geospatial Intelligence with Sam McKnight
Niccolò Petrelli
Research scholar at the Center for International and Strategic Studies, Luiss Rome
Luiss Rome
Episode: 251. Unveiling Gladio: Cold War Secrets and Italian Intelligence with Niccolò Petrelli
Dr. Stephen Long
Author and historian specializing in US foreign policy and intelligence; assistant professor
Shan Xiaotong Liverpool University (as stated in transcript)
Episode: 250. CIA and MI6 in Post-War Albania with Dr. Stephen Long
Luis Fernando Baptistella
Former Brazilian Navy captain; intelligence and counterintelligence expert; private consultant and author
Bravus Consultoria; Counter & Intelligence 4.0 (book)
Episode: 249. From the Brazilian Navy to Strategic Intelligence with Luis Fernando Baptistella
Rory Cormac
Professor of International Relations at the University of Nottingham
University of Nottingham
Episode: 248. The Secrets of British Black Propaganda with Rory Cormac
Kirillo Alexandrov
Captured by Russians in Ukraine; interviewee about his detention and rescue
United States citizen; resident of Ukraine at time of capture
Episode: 247. Captured by Russians in Ukraine with Kirillo Alexandrov
Dr. Emrah Safa Gürkan
Historian and author specializing in Ottoman intelligence and diplomacy
Georgetown University (PhD); Author of Spies for the Sultan
Episode: 246. The Ottoman Empire’s Cloak and Dagger with Dr. Emrah Safa Gürkan
Eduardo Barreto
High school teacher and adjunct professor; author of Rebel with a Cause, A Cuban in the Congo
Gulliver Prep School; Miami-Dade College
Episode: 245. Tales of A Cuban Exile: The Story of Angel Benitez with Eduardo Barreto
Sean Wiswesser
Former Senior Operations Officer and Chief of Station, CIA; author of Tradecraft, Tactics, and Dirty Tricks, Russian Intelligence and Putin's Secret War
Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)
Episode: 244. Fighting Russian Intelligence with Sean Wiswesser

Host

Justin
Host of the Spycraft 101 podcast; long-running central figure in interviews and episode hosting.

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 822 ratings
  • Justin seems distracted and doesn't know when to simply listen

    I've listened to several episodes and Justin often offers these superficial, annoying responses that suggest he isn't paying close attention (because he's queuing up his next remark) and doesn't appreciate that sometimes the best thing to say is nothing at all. For instance, in his interview with Sam McKnight about detecting mass graves using satellite data, Sam remarks that he is profoundly effected by his work and Justin basically says something like, "Yeah, the world is a bad place but I'm su... more

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    DatingShame
    United States14 days ago
  • Great experience as guest and listener!

    Justin is a very professional podcast host and he cares about his guests. He did an excellent job and I was honored on to be on the show and am avid listener too! Good support too from Jesse as his producer and editor!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Wissers73
    United Statesa month ago
  • Worth it

    So good. I don’t usually listen to stuff like this but this has caught my heart. I have like a million downloaded episodes. I’m a spy now.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Warchild09
    United States5 months ago
  • Underrated

    10 ⭐ worthy

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Bandboxxer
    United States5 months ago
  • Hidden history

    Great conversations with people who were on the inside or close to those who were involved in intelligence work. Interesting variety of guests and topics as well.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Vegas Story
    United States6 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Listeners praise the depth, variety of guests, and educational value.
Some critique pacing and host delivery in a few episodes, but overall strong feedback.
Many highlight high production quality and engaging storytelling.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#166
United States/History
Apple Podcasts
#196
United Kingdom/History
Apple Podcasts
#204
Canada/History
Apple Podcasts
#151
Australia/History
Apple Podcasts
#189
France/History
Apple Podcasts
#192
Germany/History

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

252. Unearthing War Crimes and Mass Graves Through Geospatial Intelligence with Sam McKnight
Q: How does your team decide which sites to investigate and how long can a typical project take?
It depends on the tip, the transliteration of names, and how quickly a site is locatable; some projects are quick if the militaries are predictable, others can take a long time if they hinge on difficult-to-find local details.
248. The Secrets of British Black Propaganda with Rory Cormac
Q: How did the IRD measure success or impact, given how hard it is to quantify propaganda outcomes?
They struggled with metrics and often defaulted to pragmatic, surface-level indicators like newspaper uptake. They used analogies like fertilizer saying you can't always quantify the effect, but you have to assume it helps. Over time, financial and political pressures pushed for more tangible metrics, even as the core outcomes remained difficult to prove directly.
248. The Secrets of British Black Propaganda with Rory Cormac
Q: What motivated you to write about these 8,000 declassified files and the shadowy world of black propaganda?
I stumbled upon a wealth of material in the declassified files, and instead of a single academic article, material kept piling up with outrageous stories and fascinating characters. It offered a unique opportunity to tell the human story of the people who actually did this work, not just the top leaders, and to reveal the breadth and nuance of how these operations were conceived and executed.
247. Captured by Russians in Ukraine with Kirillo Alexandrov
Q: What first drew you to Ukraine in 2018, and what was your experience like before the invasion changed everything?
I moved there for family and a change of scenery, and I had no immediate quarrel with Russia; my awareness of geopolitics grew over time as tensions escalated.
238. [ARCHIVE] An International CIA Pilot with Lee Gossett
Q: What is a typical night operation like in Mogadishu with the Schweitzer motorized glider?
The mission involved night takeoffs with night vision, FLIR, silent operation to observe and document targets, and direct video downlinks to embassies for real-time intelligence collection.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

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Frequently Asked Questions About SPYCRAFT 101

What is SPYCRAFT 101 about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This show centers on espionage history, intelligence operations, and covert action, mixing deep historical case studies with contemporary tradecraft and security analysis. Across episodes, listeners encounter a wide range of guests—from former intelligence officers and military veterans to historians and cybersecurity experts—who share firsthand experiences, archival insights, and thoughtful commentary on how espionage, propaganda, and statecraft shape world events. The tone tends to be narrative and educational, with a strong emphasis on understanding complex tradecraft, ethical considerations, and the human dimension behind covert operations. Noteworthy is the consistent ability to surface under-the-radar historical episodes, high-profile... more

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SPYCRAFT 101 launched 5 years ago and published 258 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on SPYCRAFT 101?

Recent guests on SPYCRAFT 101 include:

1. Sam McKnight
2. Niccolò Petrelli
3. Dr. Stephen Long
4. Luis Fernando Baptistella
5. Rory Cormac
6. Kirillo Alexandrov
7. Dr. Emrah Safa Gürkan
8. Eduardo Barreto

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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