The Hunt for American Turncoats in World War II Europe

The Hunt for American Turncoats in World War II Europe

April 21, 2026 · 42 min · Episode 729

About this episode

The episode discusses the FBI's undercover operations to track down American traitors during World War II, featuring insights from journalist Stephen Harding.

It’s a story that journalist and veteran Stephen Harding uncovered: a secret component of the FBI’s “European Operation,” whereby agents traveled abroad working undercover to track down American citizens who had betrayed their country during World War II. These traitors ran the gamut, from spreading propaganda for the Fascists and the Third Reich, to starting Nazi spy rings. What became of them is just as varied. Stephen pieced together the mission and targets by interviewing the relatives of FBI agents, sifting through British archives, and making Freedom of Information Act requests. It’s all documented in his new book, G.I. G-Men. Subscribe to Sasha's Substack, HUMINT, to get more intelligence stories: https://sashaingber.substack.com/ For more information about the International Spy Museum, visit: https://www.spymuseum.org/ And if you have feedback or want to hear about a particular topic, you can reach us by email at spycast@spymuseum.org. This show is brought to you by N2K Networks, Goat Rodeo, and the International Spy Museum in Washington, DC. This episode was produced by Flora Warshaw and the team at Goat Rodeo. At the International Spy Museum, Mike Mincey and Memphis…

People in this episode

Host: Sasha Ingber

Guest: Stephen Harding

Topics covered

Keywords

Sponsors

Goat Rodeo, International Spy Museum, N2K Networks

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: FBI, Nazi

Books & works: G.I. G-Men

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