Operation Golden Lips: The story of an ambassador who was spied on
In TV dramas, there is often such a bridge: after the insider nervously reveals all the information or secrets obtained, another person puts his finger to his mouth and says: "Shh, be careful that the wall has ears!" Such a careful sentence can make the atmosphere even more tense.
Between countries, there are also espionage methods such as eavesdropping, and there will also be various intelligence agencies and espionage personnel. It seems to be a tacit secret. Even some directors, especially favoring such themes, will make these thrilling and tempting stories into movies, such as the well-known "Mr. Bean", "Spy", "Mission Impossible" and so on, which are really applauded and applauded.
In the real world, countries are actually very cautious about stealing intelligence such as surveillance. If one cannot accept that every word and deed is watched everywhere, how can a country allow secret deliberations to be exposed to other countries?
It is a pity that "a hundred secrets will eventually be neglected", and what we want to talk about today is an incident in history in which an ambassador was monitored, and once it was revealed, it immediately shocked the world, and it was the famous "Operation Golden Lips" recorded in the history of the Soviet Union.
What are Golden Lips?
"Golden lip" is not the name of a lipstick. It is a special eavesdropping device, and it is also a special Soviet eavesdropping device for the US embassy. On December 17, 1943, Beria, then the leader of the KGB of the Soviet Union, reported to Stalin that the "Golden Lip" bugging device had successfully passed expert testing, and its performance was unparalleled and its efficacy was amazing.
This is not Beria's boastful royal mother-in-law selling melons, at that time, the "Golden Lip" bugging device really represented the world's top level. It does not need a battery to provide power, nor does it need an external current, and in the misunderstanding of people's thinking at that time, they did not realize that eavesdropping equipment could not work by electrical signals.
At that time, the anti-eavesdropping equipment captured electrical signals, and the "golden lip" could receive microwave pulses emitted by the oscillator with large power consumption within 300 meters, thus perfectly bypassing the pursuit of the anti-monitoring equipment. The most surprising thing is that its working life can be extended indefinitely. Outwardly, this bugging device looks like a "tadpole" with a tail.
There have been several twists and turns
Although advanced tools are available, how can they be smoothly brought into the US Embassy in the Soviet Union for monitoring? KGB agents also racked their brains for this. If it is detected by the embassy, it will not only "scare the grass and snakes", but also waste the carefully developed bug.
The agents first thought of pretending to be ordinary housewives, living in the residential building opposite the US Embassy, placing the "golden lips" on the bedding sheets, and on the sunny weekend, on the balcony of the residential building, the "housewives" pretended to naturally shake the dried bedding sheets, which was not dust, but the "golden lips" that the agents deliberately scattered to the embassy compound.
Unfortunately, this approach has little effect. The agents plotted a fire, posing as fire firefighters to infiltrate the embassy looking for an opportunity to install a bug. Unfortunately, it was still fruitless, and the pretended agents never had a chance to start.
Fine American emblem as "gift"
After some tossing, the senior staff officer of the KGB came up with a clever plan: secretly put the bugging device in the gift, and then find a reason that the US ambassador could not shirk, and took the opportunity to send it. After discussion and screening by two Soviet intelligence experts, smooth mammoth tusks, ivory telephones, shields made of ebony and other ready-made exquisite crafts were ruthlessly rejected.
The expert's advice to Beria is to recreate a suitable gift according to the characteristics of the "golden lip". Beria listened to the advice, and the gift-making work began non-stop.
In February 1945, the heads of state of Stalin, Roosevelt, and Churchill met in Yalta. Beria believes that this is a good opportunity to act. On February 9, the Soviet Union announced the opening ceremony of the "All-Union Young Pioneers Fitness Camp of the Altek", which took place on the shores of the Black Sea. And in the name of the Young Pioneers, invitations were sent to the heads of state of the other two countries in anticipation of their visit.
However, the head of state was entangled in government affairs and could not spare himself to participate in the children's activities, but refusing the children's invitation seemed ruthless, and it was not appropriate to send other officials to the scene, and finally complete the mission and be invited, naturally it would be the ambassadors of the two countries to the Soviet Union.
When U.S. Ambassador Avila Kariman arrived at the opening ceremony with an invitation, KGB agents knew that the fish had taken the bait, and the plan was half successful. The opening ceremony was warm, and the innocent singing and smiles of the children also relaxed the ambassadors. Later, a large wooden U.S. coat of arms was carried by the Young Pioneers to Ambassador Kalliman .
The interpreter immediately stepped forward to introduce that this national emblem was assembled from rosewood, poplar and other precious woods, and was a special gift from the Soviet Union to the ambassador, hoping that the two countries would continue to maintain friendly exchanges. Pleasantly surprised, Ambassador Kalliman happily accepted the coat of arms and placed it in the embassy office.
It took seven years to discover the truth
Time passed like water, from 1945 to 1952, the embassy welcomed four American ambassadors in these seven years, each new ambassador will renovate the embassy after his arrival, the ink bottles have been replaced, the bookshelves have been updated, and the coffee table sofa furniture has to follow the trend, but even if the curtains of the embassy have been changed in color, this wooden coat of arms gift has been hanging unharmed for seven years.
Just because it did receive the affection of every ambassador, it failed to arouse alarm and American vigilance. Until a British expert cracked the RFID technology and copied it.
The United States, which had just woken up from a dream, ordered a thorough investigation of embassy items, and finally the "golden lip" hidden on the back of the wooden emblem was discovered, however, in the past seven years, I don't know how many secrets have been monitored by the Soviet Union. The United States, which felt humiliated, only publicly admitted this matter after 1960.
Think of danger in peacetime
Safety is the cornerstone of life, the foundation of happiness, the prerequisite for development, and the guarantee of family happiness. National security is not a word that seems to be far away from production and life, but it is actually related to the interests of every citizen. National security, to ensure that children and parents have a warm time, and laughter with their partners. It ensures that the people living in the country live and work in peace and contentment. People are sheltered by it and deserve to preserve it.
In recent years, China has also been constantly improving and supplementing laws, regulations, strategic outlines and protective measures related to national security. From the establishment of the Central National Security Commission, to the formulation of the overall concept of national security, to the deliberation and adoption of the National Security Strategy Outline, the promulgation and implementation of the Counter-espionage Law of the People's Republic of China, and the establishment of the People's National Security Education Day.
All of them show that the mainland attaches great importance to it. Be safe without forgetting danger, survive without forgetting death, and cure without forgetting chaos. In times of peace, we should learn lessons from history, draw lessons from experience, and firmly safeguard peace and safeguard national security for the sake of smiling in the sun.
