DiscoverNonsense with cj little and Jeff ParkerThe Unheard Conversations that Won the Cold War
The Unheard Conversations that Won the Cold War

The Unheard Conversations that Won the Cold War

Update: 2025-09-11
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(0:00 ) Open

(1:12 ) A Complex, Underwater Game of Cat and Mouse

(3:07 ) The Thing

(11:54 ) Introducing: The Sea of Okhotsk

(16:55 ) The SS-N-12 Cover Story

(17:44 )  How Did This Even Work?

(20:40 )  Ronald Pelton Blows The Lid

(23:38 ) cj’s recommendation: Mark "The Bird" Fidrych

(25:51 ) Jeff’s Recommendation: The Spy Who Came in from the Cold


There’s no easy answer to how the Cold War was really won.  Somewhere along the way we had unpowered microphones hidden in wooden eagles and Navy divers tapping phone lines 400ft under the sea.

In this episode of Nonsense, we dig into the bizarre world of secret listening—like the Soviets gifting the U.S. a “harmless” carved Great Seal that turned out to be a Soviet bug, and America’s own Operation Ivy Bells, where US divers cosplayed as underwater phone operators for the USSR.

It’s espionage at its weirdest, and it’ll make you think twice about every gift you’ve ever received.


The Thing (listening device) - Wikiwand


Man spends 50 years recreating The Thing spy bug


The Mission Behind Operation Ivy Bells and How It Was Discovered | Military.com


Operation Ivy Bells: How the US Stole Russian Secrets | SOFREP - https://archive.is/FCpAU


Operation Ivy Bells - Wikiwand


Ronald Pelton - Wikiwand 


MLB: The Bird (Mark Fidrych)


Mark Fidrych - Wikiwand


The Spy Who Came in From the Cold (1965) Trailer #1 | Movieclips Classic Trailers


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The Unheard Conversations that Won the Cold War

The Unheard Conversations that Won the Cold War

cj little and Jeff Parker