AI: Francis Walsingham, Klaus Fuchs, and Oleg Penkovsky: High-stakes Spies
![](https://whatifhistoryhappened.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/1920px-Queen_Elizabeth_I_Sir_Francis_Walsingham_William_Cecil_1st_Baron_Burghley_by_William_Faithorne_2-855x1024.jpeg)
Sir Francis Walsingham (England, 16th century): “Knowledge is power.” Walsingham, Queen Elizabeth I’s spymaster, understood the crucial role of intelligence in protecting the realm and maintaining political advantage.
Klaus Fuchs (Germany/ Soviet Union): “My motive was to help potential allies of Britain who had borne the brunt of fighting.” Fuchs, a nuclear physicist, justified his betrayal of Western secrets by claiming it leveled the playing field against potential enemies during the Cold War.
Oleg Penkovsky (Soviet Union): “I realized that a nuclear war would be a universal suicide, and I wanted to do whatever I could to prevent it.” Penkovsky, a high-ranking Soviet military officer, defected to the West and provided invaluable intelligence about Soviet capabilities, driven by a desire to prevent nuclear conflict.