1. Nathan Hale. Often dubbed “America's first spy,” Nathan Hale was a Yale graduate who served in Knowlton's Rangers, a short-lived
Military Intelligence
It was first used in the 1859 Austro-Sardinian war and the 1866 campaign against Prussia, albeit with little success.
Mata Hari. One of the most famous and elusive spies in history, Dutch-born Margaretha Geertruida Zelle, whose stage name was Mata Hari, acted as a spy during World War I.
Among other honorifics, George Washington—known as Agent 711 in the Culper Spy Ring—is often heralded as a great “spymaster,” and indeed, he was.
According to popular lore, a woman spy known only as Agent 355 helped George Washington win the American Revolution, serving as a key member of the Manhattan-Long Island intelligence network later dubbed the Culper Spy Ring.
355 (died after 1780) was the code name of a female spy during the American Revolution, part of the Culper Ring. She was one of the first spies for the United States, but her real identity is unknown. The number 355 could be decrypted from the system the Culper Ring used to mean "lady."
Local spies are hired from among the people of a locality. Inside spies are hired from among enemy officials. Reverse spies are hired from among enemy spies. Dead spies transmit false intelligence to enemy spies.
What is a spy? In the intelligence world, a spy is strictly defined as someone used to steal secrets for an intelligence organization. Also called an agent or asset, a spy is not a professional intelligence officer, and doesn't usually receive formal training (though may be taught basic tradecraft).
In April, author Jean Marzollo, M.A.T.'65, died. Marzollo was the author of 150 books, including her most famous, the I SPY series, where readers try to find objects within photographs taken by Walter Wick.
MATA HARI. Mata Hari embodied all the intrigue of espionage and remains the most famous female spy in history. The dancer turned WWI spy is said to have seduced diplomats and military officers into giving up their secrets.
Learn how Virginia Hall, woman with a prosthetic leg, became the most feared allied spy in WWII. See how she eluded Nazi capture and aided in a victory at D-Day.
The Emergence of the Spy Novel
Novels featuring espionage or spies emerged in the nineteenth century with “The Spy” published in 1821 by James Fenimore Cooper, which was based on the exploits of Harvey Birch, an American secret agent.
Spymaster. You've made it to the top. You're a leader of an intelligence service.
Sun Tzu's Dead spies: Spies you use to provide the enemy with false information. Dead spies are manipulated by you to spill bad information to the enemy. Once the enemy discovers the information is fraudulent, the spy will undoubtedly be killed.
There are four principal ways by which spies are detected: Reporting by U.S. sources within the foreign intelligence service. Routine counterintelligence monitoring. Tip from a friend or spouse.
Based on true events, AGENT 355 combines adventure, romance, and espionage to bring to life this little-known story of a hero who risked her life to fight for freedom against all odds.
However, the movie did have its good moments. A stand-out component is the idea of female empowerment, even down to the title. “The 355” is named after the only female spy that George Washington hired during the American Revolution — whom he called “Agent 355” to keep her identity a secret.
Mace chases Marie, who escapes via the subway while Nick is confronted in an alley by Clarke. At CIA headquarters, Mace learns that Nick was found dead in the alley.
Ashley Romans as Agent 355 | Y: The Last Man | FX on Hulu.
In real life: The Abigail character was invented for the show. It's never been proven who Agent 355 (the code name assigned to her on the show) actually was.