The CIA and the KGB: Two Spy Agencies Are Born
After World War II ended in 1945, two giant countries did not trust each other at all: the United States and the Soviet Union (also called the USSR). They never fought each other with armies. Instead, they spied on each other. This long, tense time was called the Cold War. To win the spy game, each side built a huge secret agency. The United States made the CIA. The Soviet Union had the KGB. This lesson tells how they began.
What You'll Learn
By the end of this lesson you will be able to: - Explain what the Cold War was and when it started - Tell what the letters CIA and KGB stand for - Say what year each spy agency was formed - Describe one real job a spy agency did
The CIA: America's Spies
In 1947, the United States passed a law called the National Security Act. It created the Central Intelligence Agency, or CIA. Its headquarters is in Langley, Virginia. The job of the CIA was to gather secret information (called intelligence) about other countries. Spies would learn what the Soviet Union was planning, so American leaders would not be surprised.
In the spy world, 'intelligence' does not mean being smart. It means secret information about what another country is doing, such as where its army is or what weapons it is building. Gathering it is called 'collecting intelligence.'
The KGB: The Soviet Union's Spies
The Soviet Union created its famous spy agency, the KGB, in 1954. In Russian its long name means 'Committee for State Security.' The KGB did two big jobs. It spied on other countries, like the CIA did. But it also watched its own citizens inside the Soviet Union to make sure no one spoke against the government. That made many Soviet people afraid of it.
Match each fact to the correct agency or idea.
Terms
Definitions
Drag terms onto their definitions, or click a term then click a definition to match.
The Spy Game in Action
Both agencies used clever tricks. They used codes, hidden cameras, and secret meeting spots called 'dead drops,' where a spy would hide a message for another spy to pick up later. Sometimes they caught each other. In 1960, an American U-2 spy plane flew high over the Soviet Union taking photos. The Soviets shot it down and captured the pilot. It became one of the most famous spy events of the Cold War.
Which agency belonged to the United States, and what year was it created?
Make a Dead Drop
1. Write a short secret message on a small piece of paper. 2. Pick a safe 'dead drop' spot in your home, like under a certain book or inside an empty box. 3. Tell a family member the secret spot, then hide your message there. 4. Have them go find it, like a real spy picking up intelligence. 5. Write two sentences about how a dead drop helps spies pass information without being seen together.
Flashcards — click each card to reveal the answer
Besides spying on other countries, what extra job did the KGB do that the CIA did not focus on?
The CIA and KGB were the two great rivals of Cold War spying for decades. The Soviet Union ended in 1991 and the KGB was broken up, but the CIA still works today. Their story shows that some of history's biggest battles were fought with secrets, not soldiers.
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