Yuri Nosenko and Anatoli Golitsin

[William Kelly]

You should know John, as an historian, that no matter how ridiculous an accusation or innuendo may seem at the time it's often latter proven to be true. Is it, in your opinion John, totally impossible Wilson just may have actually been a KGB agent? This is not a rhetorical question, I would really appreciate the perspective of a left wing historian. Thank you.

Of course the KGB recruited agents from the UK. It has been the strategy for those on the right to try and smear those on the left as being Soviet agents. In fact, the KGB did not work in this way. What we know about the Philby group is that they were recruited as agents by MI5 because they were right-wing activists. Philby and Burgess, for example, were both active in Neo-Nazi groups in the early 1930s. They were recruited by Maxwell Knight, who had been a founder member of the British fascists. MI5 and MI6 were established to stop socialism spreading to Britain.

Wilson was smeared as a KGB agent because he had been elected to form a Labour government in 1964. The far-right is not very keen on democracy when the people elect a left-wing government. The very first Labour prime minister, Ramsay MacDonald was smeared as a Soviet agent via the forged Zinoviev Letter. This cost him the 1924 General Election.

Attempts by Winston Churchill to portray Clement Attlee as a communist in 1945 failed, and even though he was on the right of the party, he provided us with the best period of British government in the 20th century.

Wilson was only the third elected Labour prime minister. It therefore fitted the historical pattern to smear him as a Soviet spy. It was even worse than this. MI5 attempted to organize a coup against him. If we ever really elected a left-wing government, there is no doubt in my mind that the ruling elite would attempt to organize a military coup.

Denis, do you think Philby was a real spy, or like Oswald, was he only playing games in his own mind?

Then there's the case of Teddy Kennedy. Was he a KGB spy, a Congressional asset to the Soviets, or did he just write them a letter for a friend?

Senator Kennedy cooperated with KGB:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2325107/posts

[Denis Pointing]

You should know John, as an historian, that no matter how ridiculous an accusation or innuendo may seem at the time it's often latter proven to be true. Is it, in your opinion John, totally impossible Wilson just may have actually been a KGB agent? This is not a rhetorical question, I would really appreciate the perspective of a left wing historian. Thank you.

Of course the KGB recruited agents from the UK. It has been the strategy for those on the right to try and smear those on the left as being Soviet agents. In fact, the KGB did not work in this way. What we know about the Philby group is that they were recruited as agents by MI5 because they were right-wing activists. Philby and Burgess, for example, were both active in Neo-Nazi groups in the early 1930s. They were recruited by Maxwell Knight, who had been a founder member of the British fascists. MI5 and MI6 were established to stop socialism spreading to Britain.

Wilson was smeared as a KGB agent because he had been elected to form a Labour government in 1964. The far-right is not very keen on democracy when the people elect a left-wing government. The very first Labour prime minister, Ramsay MacDonald was smeared as a Soviet agent via the forged Zinoviev Letter. This cost him the 1924 General Election.

Attempts by Winston Churchill to portray Clement Attlee as a communist in 1945 failed, and even though he was on the right of the party, he provided us with the best period of British government in the 20th century.

Wilson was only the third elected Labour prime minister. It therefore fitted the historical pattern to smear him as a Soviet spy. It was even worse than this. MI5 attempted to organize a coup against him. If we ever really elected a left-wing government, there is no doubt in my mind that the ruling elite would attempt to organize a military coup.

Denis, do you think Philby was a real spy, or like Oswald, was he only playing games in his own mind?

Then there's the case of Teddy Kennedy. Was he a KGB spy, a Congressional asset to the Soviets, or did he just write them a letter for a friend?

Senator Kennedy cooperated with KGB:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2325107/posts

Hi Bill, there's really no doubt Philby was a soviet agent...the guy defected to Russia to avoid capture. But thanks for that link on Teddy, I'd never realised that he'd ever been smeared that way. I presume you do believe it to be just a smear?

John, thanks for answering, so Wilson wasn't the first labour Prime minister to be accused. That's fascinating, and something I'd not realised.

I remember back in the 70's when I was 16/17 working in the offices (as a builder) of a communist publishing company, I believe they published the Daily Worker and the Morning Star, not too sure, their offices were situated at The Pavement, Clapham Common, above a butchers shop of all places. Anyway, every telephone had a 'sticker' on it saying "Remember this phone is bugged. Beware!!" At that young age I thought the warnings were preposterous....the very thought of our security bugging citizen's phones, who weren't breaking any laws, seemed laughable. Oh, it would be nice to be that innocent and naive again. LOL

Edited October 8, 2009 by Denis Pointing

[Michael Clark]

Bagely was likely a sadistic, myopic torturer. His later claims about Nosenko are very likely clouded by that part of human nature which demands that we justify what we have done in order to absolve ourselves of guilt. He was also likely incompetent and dangerously-so.

https://www.archives.gov/files/research/jfk/releases/docid-32359254.pdf

Italics are mine...

 

TOP SECRET

13 October 1970

MEMORANDUM FOR THE RECORD

Subject: BAGELY, Tennant, Harrington

#386 38

1) On Wednesday, 7 October 1970 I briefed Colonel L. K. White, Executive  Director-Controller on certain reservations I have concerning the proposed promotion of Bagely to a supergrade position.

 2)  I was very careful to explain to Colonel White at the outset that my reservations had nothing whatsoever to do with Bagely's security status. I explained that it was my conviction that Bagely was almost exclusively responsible for the manner in which the Nosenko case had been handled by our SR division. I said I considered that Bagely lacked objectivity and that he had displayed extremely poor judgment over a two year period in the handling of this case. Specifically as one example of Bagely's extreme prejudice I pointed out that the SR division had neglected to follow up several leads provided by Nosenko which subsequently had been followed up by this office (Bruce Solie) and that this lead us to individuals who have confessed their recruitment and use by the Soviets over an extensive period of time.

3)  I explained further that Bagely displayed extremely poor judgment in the actions he took during that time that  Nosenko was incarcerated at ISOLATION. On many occasions, as the individual responsible for Nosenko's care, I refuse to condone Bagely's  instructions to my people who are guarding him. In one instance Bagely insisted that  Nosenko's food ration be reduced to black bread and water three times daily. After I had briefed Colonel White, he indicated that he would refresh the Director's memory on Bagely's role in the Nosenko case at the time he reviews supergrade promotions. 

 

Howard J. Osborn

Director of Security

 

--------------------------

And

 

Two Documents by Leonard McCoy On Nosenko

1978 8 page Cronology of an Effort to Inspire Objective Review of the Nosenko Case

http://documents.theblackvault.com/documents/jfk/NARA-Oct2017/2018/104-10095-10126.pdf

 

1965  58 page conclusion that Nosenko was a true defector 

http://documents.theblackvault.com/documents/jfk/NARA-Oct2017/2018/104-10095-10151.pdf

 

Edited May 14, 2018 by Michael Clark
Documents added