Origins of the CIA

Warfare

2022 marks the 75th anniversary of the Central Intelligence Agency, more colloquially known as the CIA. While viewed today as one of the most advanced and powerful intelligence agencies in the world, the United States didn't always sit at the top of this list.

Long before the CIA had been created, Great Britain, China, and even the Soviet Union had long standing intelligence agencies, aiding in matters of foreign affairs and espionage. So why was the United States so late to the intelligence game? And did this late arrival into espionage hinder the CIA's development and success?

In the first episode of our new mini-series on the CIA, James is joined by Pulitzer Prize winning investigative journalist Tim Weiner, to talk about the history of this clandestine government organisation. From looking at the CIA's murky origins, to their post 9/11 purpose and their recent infiltration of the Kremlin, Tim takes us through the agency's tumultuous history.

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