Guy Burgess
English-Russian spy during Cold War

Born
April 16th, 1911
114 years ago
Died
August 30th, 1963
61 years ago — 52 years old
Category
Thinkers & Philosophers
Country
United Kingdom
Links & References
Burgess served as an important figure in espionage during the Cold War. Initially working for the British Foreign Office, he was a member of the Cambridge Five, a group of spies who passed information to the Soviet Union. In 1951, amid heightened scrutiny and suspicion, Burgess defected to the Soviet Union with fellow spy Donald Maclean, ultimately settling in Moscow. His actions contributed to significant intelligence leaks during a critical period in history, causing widespread alarm within British intelligence circles. He lived in the Soviet Union until his death in 1963, continuing to work in various capacities for the Soviet government.
Membership in the Cambridge Five
Defection to the Soviet Union in 1951
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