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The History of Spies with Andrew Hammond

Apr 16, 2025

AMSEcast celebrates 250 years of American innovation with Dr. Andrew Hammond, historian and curator at the International Spy Museum. Hammond explores the evolution of intelligence and espionage, from trial-and-error codebreaking by pioneers like the Friedmans to today’s cutting-edge technology. He highlights cryptographic breakthroughs, spy tools, and covert communication methods like one-time pads and suitcase radios. The conversation traces the U.S.’s rise as a global intelligence leader, fueled by Cold War innovation and British collaboration. Stories like the CIA’s Glomar Explorer mission illustrate the secrecy and complexity of spycraft. Hammond also hosts SpyCast, sharing these stories with a global audience.
 
 
Guest Bio
Dr. Andrew Hammond is the historian and curator at the International Spy Museum in Washington, DC. He has held teaching positions and fellowships at esteemed institutions, including the British Library, the Library of Congress, and the 9/11 Memorial Museum. A veteran of the Royal Air Force with assignments to the British Army and Royal Navy, he brings deep expertise in intelligence and national security. Dr. Hammond is also a fellow at the Global National Security Institute and the author of the upcoming book Struggles for Freedom: Afghanistan and US Foreign Policy Since 1979.
 
 
Show Highlights
  • (1:52) About the International Spy Museum
  • (5:01) How the U.S. has found information about adversaries in the past
  • (10:54) Tools that can be found in the museum
  • (14:03) The difference between a spy and an agent
  • (17:04) Popular examples of field weapons and how the museum documents them
  • (19:17) Sabotage tools developed in the U.S. and used by American spies
  • (25:53) How the Enigma machine helped crack German and Japanese codes in WWII
  • (29:05) How men and women are represented at the museum
  • (36:22) Spycraft innovations that have made it into public life
  • (43:31) SpyCast, the museum's official podcast
 
 
Links Referenced