The Cold War feels like ancient history, which is odd because it raged for 2/3’s of my life. During the Cold War, American and CIA aligned undercover spies and espionage agents stationed in the East were constantly under threat of discovery and exposure by their counterparts from the KGB, Stasi, and the other espionage and security agencies of the Soviet nations. Discovery would mean a nasty stay and interrogation at someplace like the KGB’s Lubyanka prison, and possibly death. Survival for them depended on maintaining a low profile, being hyper-aware, and adherence to The Moscow Rules (10 of which are excerpted below). I was digging through my desk and came across a postcard someone had given me with these rules on the front. I thought I should share:
- Assume nothing.
- Never go against your gut.
- Everyone is potentially under opposition control.
- Don’t look back; you are never completely alone.
- Go with the flow, blend in.
- Vary your pattern and stay within cover.
- Lull them into a sense of complacency.
- Don’t harass the opposition.
- Pick the time and place for action.
- Keep your options open.
I have not really looked yet, but somebody has had to have turned The Moscow Rules into a business book akin to The Art of War For Executives.
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