Episode Details
Back to EpisodesHow the CIA Secretly Raised a Soviet Submarine from the Ocean Floor
Published 1 day, 5 hours ago
Description
What if the CIA spent $4 billion on the world's most elaborate fishing trip? In 1974, they did exactly that - using a fake mining operation and Howard Hughes as cover to secretly steal a Soviet nuclear submarine from the ocean floor. Daniel Torres breaks down how they pulled off this mind-blowing heist right under the Soviets' noses.
🎯 What You'll Discover:
• How a 618-foot "mining ship" with a secret moon pool became the ultimate spy tool
• Why the Soviets spent months searching for K-129 while the US already knew exactly where it was
• The nuclear missiles and secret communication codes that made this submarine worth billions
• How Howard Hughes accidentally became the perfect cover story for America's craziest covert op
👤 Perfect for: anyone who loves real-world spy stories that make Mission Impossible look boring.
📍 Chapters:
[00:00] Daniel Torres introduces the $4 billion submarine heist
[01:45] K-129 vanishes - and why the Soviets couldn't find their own sub
[03:30] Enter the CIA's impossible plan to raise it from 3 miles down
[05:15] How they built the Hughes Glomar Explorer without anyone noticing
[07:00] The "mining operation" that fooled an entire nation
[09:30] What they actually found (and what they're still hiding)
[11:15] Why this operation changed espionage forever
This isn't just cold war history - it's a masterclass in how far governments will go for an advantage. The engineering alone will blow your mind, but the audacity? That's what makes this story legendary.
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🔍 Topics: CIA operations, cold war espionage, Soviet submarine, Howard Hughes, covert operations
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--- Keywords: court filings, unsolved mysteries, corruption investigations, geopolitics, alternative history
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