Espionage has always been a topic that has captured the thoughts and imaginations of many people. The idea of ​​the glamorous lives of spy agents and spies with big parties, high-tech gadgets, and world-destroying villains have led to the belief that spies live an adventurous, almost science fiction-like life. Real agents live far from that life in reality. Many live in constant fear of being imprisoned or executed. The facts and fiction of espionage have been distorted over time. Espionage has been used by countries and empires for many thousands of years in various forms. In ancient times, the writings of Sun-Tzu and Chanakya outlined how to use espionage for profit in war or military operations. Chandragupta was a military leader who used the Chanakya script. In modern times, espionage has been used in various measures and forms (Wikipedia, 2). For many years, espionage was a predominantly male occupation. It was only during World War II that women began to be hired as espionage agents. Men realized that women could go where they could not and soon the importance that women could play in intelligence operations was realized (Spievogel, 601). Espionage was used most heavily during the Cold War. The Soviet Union and its allies sought as much information as possible about the activities of the United States and its allies. In recent times, espionage has been used in a type of espionage called industrial espionage. Companies will try to gather information about their competitors. This costs companies billions of dollars in losses every year. Espionage has recently focused on illegal drug trafficking and terrorist threats (Wikipedia, 2). Espionage is an occupation and activity carried out by agents who have different...... middle of paper......and is a seriously misunderstood profession. Facts have been altered over the years to make movies and literature more enjoyable. Each passing year brings new knowledge to the public about espionage. Some “facts” that are released need to be thought about and studied more to make sure the fact is not fiction. One thing is certain though about spies and agents. They live a hard life of lies. Works Cited "Espionage". Wikipedia. January 19, 2002. Wikipedia: the free encyclopedia. March 11, 2014.Silverstein, Herma. Spies Among Us: The Truth About Modern Espionage. United States of America: Moffa Press, Inc. 1988. Spielvogel, Jackson J., Ph. D., World History: Modern Times. New York; McGraw Hill-Glencoe, 2005The editors of the Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopedia Britannica online. EnciclopediaBritannica, nd Web. 19 April. 2014.