Final Syllabus
The Enemy Within: Spies and Espionage in the Cold War
Fall 2016
Copenhagen
3 Credits
Instructors: Torben Jørgensen & Martin Rasmussen
Program Director: Neringa Vendelbo
Program Assistant: Alex Berlin
Tuesdays & Fridays, 11:40- 13:00
Room: V23-401
Course Description:
Espionage organizations play an important role in modern society. They aim at providing security from
terrorism, among many other things. But how did these organizations come into being, and how have they
developed over the years? Who are the people staffing them and what do they actually do? This course aims
at introducing students to the objectives and effects of intelligence and espionage throughout modern
history. We look back in history to where it all began, and we assess the rising importance of the intelligence
communities and organizations in modern societies. We will focus mainly on 1) the organizational level
through case studies 2) the ideological/political level through the prism of how and why the Western and
Eastern blocs fought the Cold War with agents, double agents, intelligence, and propaganda and 3) the
individual level through the concepts and practices of loyalty and betrayal: why would anyone choose to
become the ‘enemy within’?
Lecturers:
Torben Jørgensen
Email: [email protected]
Cand.mag. (History, University of Copenhagen, 2003). With the Danish Jewish Museum, 2007-2008.
Researcher, Danish Institute for International Studies, Department for Holocaust and Genocide Studies,
2003-2005. Researcher, Danish Center for Holocaust and Genocide Research, 2000-2003. With DIS since
2008.
Martin Rasmussen
Email: [email protected]
MA (Russian and History, University of Copenhagen 2004, graduated on Civil-Military relations in Russia,
1993-99). Associate professor at the Royal Danish Officer Academy (2011- ), Senior Advisor NordGEN at the
Nordic Council of Ministers 2005-2009 on Russia and the CIS, Exchange Student, Odessa (Ukraine), and St.
Petersburg (1996-1997), Associate Professor Nordic Council of Ministers Petrazavodsk State University
1998. Various positions as translator and as leader on many visits to Russia by Danish and foreign students
and tourist groups as well as on several battlefield tours. Lectures to the general public as well as an analysts
on Russian matters in Danish news media. With DIS since 2015. Also DIS-classes on Putin’s Russia, Competing
Historical Narratives and Danish language and culture.
The Enemy Within: Spies and Espionage in the Cold War | DIS | Disciplines: Criminology/Criminal Justice, History, International
Relations, Political Science
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Final Syllabus
Course objectives:
After finishing the course, students should have an overall command of the methods and problems related
to the study of history in general. They should possess a thorough understanding of the bipolar world that
existed during the Cold War; of the reasons for the clash between the ideologies of communism and
democracy; of the institutional dynamics of espionage; and of the human actors who make up the world of
intelligence.
Requirements and Evaluation (including participation):
Students are expected to have basic knowledge of general history and/or political science and/or sociology.
Attendance for all classes and field study tours is mandatory. Students are expected to have done the reading
prior to each class and come with notes/questions for the instructor and for the other students. We will
discuss mutual expectations, teaching/learning style (a mix of lecturing, discussion, as well as individual and
group presentations), and define ‘engaged participation’ in more detail during the first class.
Related Majors: History, International Relations & Political Science.
The final grade will be based on the following evaluation:
 Participation: 20%
 Analytical essay 30%
 Thesis statement for final research paper: 10%
 Final research paper (c. 8-10 pages): 40%
Attendance:
You are expected to attend all DIS classes when scheduled. If you miss multiple classes, the Registrar’s Office
and the Director of Student Affairs will be notified and they will follow-up with you to make sure that all is
well. Absences will jeopardize your grade and your standing at DIS. Allowances will be made in cases of illness,
but in the case of multiple absences you will need to provide a doctor’s note.
Academic Honesty: Plagiarism and Violating the Rules of an Assignment
DIS expects that students abide by the highest standards of intellectual honesty in all academic work. DIS
assumes that all students do their own work and credit all work or thought taken from others. Academic
dishonesty will result in a final course grade of “F” and can result in dismissal. The students’ home universities
will be notified. DIS reserves the right to request that written student assignments be turned in electronic
form for submission to plagiarism detection software. See the Academic Handbook for more information, or
ask your instructor if you have questions.
Electronic Devices in the Classroom: The use of electronic devices is restricted to note-taking during
lectures and field studies.
Disability and resource statement:
Any student who has a need for accommodation based on the impact of a disability should contact Sean
Green ([email protected]) to coordinate this. In order to receive accommodation, students should inform the
instructor of approved DIS accommodations within the first two weeks of classes.
The Enemy Within: Spies and Espionage in the Cold War | DIS | Disciplines: Criminology/Criminal Justice, History, International
Relations, Political Science
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Final Syllabus
Class representatives: Class Representatives will be elected at the beginning of the semester. Reps are
responsible for listening to the opinions of their fellow classmates and communicating these to me or the
program assistant.
Field Studies
 Wednesday, 28 September, 13:00-17:00: Visit to the Cold War Fort at Stevns
 Wednesday, 30 November, 8.30-12.30: Visit to the surveillance bunker at Carlsberg
Course Schedule:
1. Friday, 26 Aug : Introduction – defining espionage and the Cold War. Intro-game Two Rooms and a
Boom. Reading: Gaddis John Lewis We now know – Rethinking Cold War History, pp.26-53 and 281295.
2. Tuesday, 30 Aug: Russia’s difficult history. Reading: Bacon, Edwin. Contemporary Russia. Palgrave
Macmillan, 2010, pp. 1-61; Bartlett, Roger. A History of Russia. Palgrave Macmillan, 2005, pp. 1-10,
“The Geographical Setting.”
3. Friday, 2 Sep: Soviet society and government; Marxism-Leninism and the KGB. Reading: The
Communist Manifesto (excerpts).
Election of class representatives
4. Tuesday, 6 Sep: The Kim Philby case. Reading: Philby, Kim. My Silent War: The Autobiography of a
Spy. The Modern Library, 2002, pp. 1-62
5. Friday, 9 Sep: The Kim Philby case. Reading: Philby, pp. 63-128
12 September– 17 September: Short Study Tour/Core Course Week
6. Tuesday, 20 Sep: The Kim Philby case. Reading: Philby, pp. 63-128
7. Friday, 23 Sep: Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy. Reading: le Carre, John. Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy. Random
House, 1974, Chapter 1-13
8. Tuesday, 27 Sep: Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy. Reading: le Carre, Chapter 14-27
Wed, 28 Sep: Field Study: Visit to the Cold War Fort at Stevns
9. Friday, 30 Sep: Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy. Reading: le Carre, Chapter 28-39
Hand in analytical essay in class
10. Tuesday, 4 Oct: Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb. Prepare for
the class by watching the movie. DIS’ library holds a copy. Reading: Gaddis John Lewis We now know
– Rethinking Cold War History, pp.221-259. Nuclear Weapons and the escalation of the Cold War
11. Friday, 7 Oct: Nuclear espionage. The Rosenberg case. Reading: Linder, Douglas O. "Trial of the
Rosenbergs: An Account." Online publication http://law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials The
Klaus Fuchs case. Reading: Documents from the Klaus Fuchs case. Online publication
https://www.mi5.gov.uk/home/mi5-history/the-cold-war/klaus-fuchs/documents-from-the-fuchscase.html
8 October - 16 October Long Study Tour 1/Travel Break
The Enemy Within: Spies and Espionage in the Cold War | DIS | Disciplines: Criminology/Criminal Justice, History, International
Relations, Political Science
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Final Syllabus
12. Tuesday, 18 Oct: The CIA. Reading: Chapter 33, “From OSS to Central Intelligence,” in G. J. A. O’Toole,
Honorable Treachery: A History of U.S. Intelligence, Espionage and Covert Action from the American
Revolution to the CIA.
13. Friday, 21 Oct: Guest Lecture by Commander Poul Grooss and Major Niels Vistisen;
Topic: intelligence gathering during the Cold War and today (TBA)
14. Tuesday, 25 Oct: Back to the future- Intelligence and potential conflict. Prepare by watching the
BBC documentary “Inside the war room”. http://www.veoh.com/watch/v100958706dgM8wMZd
15. Friday 28 Oct: “Simulating war” – a gaming approach.
29 October-6 November Long Tour 2/Travel Break
16. Tuesday, 8 Nov: The Mitrokhin case. Reading: Andrew, Christopher & Vasili Mitrokhin. The Sword
and the Shield: The Mitrokhin Archive and the Secret History of the KGB. Basic Books, 2011, pp. 1-22
Reading: Andrew, pp. 53-83, 160-185, 241-263, 283-318
17. Friday, 11 Nov: Guest Lecture by Jon Kyst; Senior Advisor, Russia Expert with European Union
External Action; Topic: Russian propaganda (TBA)
18. Tuesday, 15 November: The case of the GDR. Public Affairs, 1997. Reading “Intelligence and
Counterintelligence”, pp. 226-258.
19. Friday, 18 November: Film screening: The Life of the Others
20. Tuesday, 22 November: Film screening: The Life of the Others (continued)
Thesis statement for final research paper handed in*
23 November – 27 November: Travel Break
21. Tuesday, 29 Nov: “Red Alert…..Red Alert”. A simulation approach to crisis management
Wednesday, 30 Nov: Field Study 8.30-12.30: Visit to the surveillance bunker at Carlsberg
22. Friday, 2 Dec: From Cold War to War on Terror… Reading: Weiner, Tim. Legacy of Ashes: The
History of the CIA, pp. 438-514
23. Tuesday, 6 Dec: Class reflections: What have we learned? Final research paper handed in*
The Enemy Within: Spies and Espionage in the Cold War | DIS | Disciplines: Criminology/Criminal Justice, History, International
Relations, Political Science
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