From boyhood, Oleg saw that it was possible to live a double life, to love those around you while concealing your true inner self, to appear to be one person to the external world and quite another inside.
-- Narrator (The KGB paragraph -)

Importance: This quote foreshadows the life that Oleg Gordievsky will live. Understanding that it is possible to have a double life led him to spy for the British and lie to the KGB. It is also reflective of Gordievsky's first marriage, in which he ended up having an affair. He lied to her about being faithful to the KGB, and to her as well.

Gordievsky's information was an epiphany for President Reagan... only Gordievsky's timely warning to Washington via M16 kept things from going too far.
-- Narrator (Mr. Collins and Mrs. Thatcher paragraph -)

Importance: This quote indicates the impact that Gordievsky had in calming the tensions between the U.S. and Russia. His information made it to the top levels of...