This week, we cover Sorge’s career in Tokyo, and explore just how he was able to convince so many people that he was exactly what he was not — a loyal Nazi here to report on Japan for the benefit of Hitler’s regime. Plus, some thoughts on Sorge’s significance in the history of the Second World War.
Sources
Matthews, Owen. An Impeccable Spy: Richard Sorge, Stalin’s Master Agent.
Murphy, David E. What Stalin Knew: The Enigma of Barbarossa.
Chapman, John W.M. Richard Sorge, the GRU, and the Pacific War.
Images
Sorge in the final years of his life.Sorge’s grave in Tokyo. Miyake Hanako (here named as Ishii Hanako) is listed as his wife; the Russian, apparently, says ‘Hero of the Soviet Union.’ (I have no idea if that is correct, I’ll be honest).A Soviet stamp commemorating Sorge. After the Soviet government officially recognized him as one of their agents in 1964, Sorge was posthumously granted the title ‘Hero of the Soviet Union.’Sorge’s press pass from the foreign ministry.Ambassador Eugen Ott, who got tricked pretty badly by Richard Sorge in more ways than one.Miyagi Yotoku, Okinawan communist and one of Sorge’s spies.Branko Vukelic, one of Sorge’s operatives in Japan.
2 thoughts on “Episode 366 – The Spy Who Came in from the Cold, Part 2”
Damn, they must have done some fucked up things to him to get him to crack. I’d almost think he’d be smooth enough to befriend his torturers, like a reverse Hans Scharff. Using a radio like that is way too obvious. How did he not realize that? Gotta use coded messages smuggled out. Poor guy.
Thank you for a great show. Sergey actually is russian name not german. His network involvement in Jananise decision to start war in Pacific was investigated by USA in late 40s. His japanese wife Hanako Ishii managed after long lastet battle with officials to retrieve Sorge’s body from a prison’s graveyard and re-bury him in a proper cemetery (at a great expense). That show her love and passion. You can find her interview on YouTube where she talks about their relationship.
Damn, they must have done some fucked up things to him to get him to crack. I’d almost think he’d be smooth enough to befriend his torturers, like a reverse Hans Scharff. Using a radio like that is way too obvious. How did he not realize that? Gotta use coded messages smuggled out. Poor guy.
Thank you for a great show. Sergey actually is russian name not german. His network involvement in Jananise decision to start war in Pacific was investigated by USA in late 40s. His japanese wife Hanako Ishii managed after long lastet battle with officials to retrieve Sorge’s body from a prison’s graveyard and re-bury him in a proper cemetery (at a great expense). That show her love and passion. You can find her interview on YouTube where she talks about their relationship.