Volunteers

"Although the classic motivation of a Cold War spy often is depicted as either ideological commitment to a cause or the result of blackmail, the evidence in many espionage cases reveals a more mundane basis for action money. Issued in a limited printing and long unavailable, Volunteers: the Betrayal of National Defense Secrets by Air Force Traitors recounts in fascinating detail the stories of 23 U.S. Air Force military members and civilian employees who betrayed their country, most of whom offered their services to the Soviet Union for cash. After a brief overview of how these volunteers signed up and their methods of communication with their Soviet handlers, each of the 23 cases is examined, with particular emphasis on individual background and motivation to determine whether a spy profile can be determined. This remarkably candid study sheds new light on both the nature of Cold War espionage and its practitioners."