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Spy Historian Debunks Chinese Spy Balloon Theories | WIRED

Dr. Andrew Hammond, Historian & Curator at the International Spy Museum, breaks down some common misconceptions about the Chinese ‘spy’ balloon that was shot down in the United States. Did the U.S. shoot down the balloon too late? Was this a dry run for a military attack? Was this the first time this has happened?…

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Dr. Andrew Hammond, Historian & Curator at the International Spy Museum, breaks down some common misconceptions about the Chinese ‘spy’ balloon that was shot down in the United States. Did the U.S. shoot down the balloon too late? Was this a dry run for a military attack? Was this the first time this has happened? Could the spy balloon see into our homes?

For more info about the world of espionage, check out the International Spy Museum:

Director: Lisandro Perez-Rey
Director of Photography: Eric Bugash
Editor: Anna O’Donohue
Expert: Andrew Hammond

Producer: Anna O’Donohue
Line Producer: Joseph Buscemi
Associate Producer: Samantha Vélez
Production Manager: Eric Martinez
Production Coordinator: Fernando Davila

Camera Operator: Mike Audick
Audio: Elijah Sutton
Production Assistant: Will Hoffinger

Post Production Supervisor: Alexa Deutsch
Post Production Coordinator: Ian Bryant
Supervising Editor: Doug Larsen
Assistant Editor: Billy Ward

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78 Comments

78 Comments

  1. Mike H

    March 10, 2023 at 1:06 pm

    It was spying on me! My proof? It shut down my microwave oven while I was heating up my mayonnaise.

  2. LiveLifeTasteDeath

    March 10, 2023 at 1:08 pm

    Did Kamala write this non insightful word salad, debunking nothing and offering no real information pertaining to the balloon.

    • Link 9671

      March 10, 2023 at 1:33 pm

      True

  3. Gio6

    March 10, 2023 at 1:12 pm

    Yes let’s be afraid of balloons ! Omg people are so silly 😂

    • kngrfdegj

      March 10, 2023 at 3:25 pm

      look at the bigger picture

  4. Taylor Montano

    March 10, 2023 at 1:13 pm

    Mann I’m getting Oaken vibes 🤣 I wanna watch Frozen now😭

  5. Terry Situ

    March 10, 2023 at 1:31 pm

    Ohio, Ohio, Ohio!!!

  6. Agostoic

    March 10, 2023 at 1:33 pm

    OK Spy

  7. Johnny Xtreme

    March 10, 2023 at 1:38 pm

    How much money did we spend to shoot this down. Don’t we own a net?

    • kngrfdegj

      March 10, 2023 at 3:28 pm

      it was over 90 feet wide.

  8. Alex

    March 10, 2023 at 1:42 pm

    Outside of EMP, the US cannot be invaded just given the geography and satellite coverage. Can’t hide something like that

  9. Cpl Son

    March 10, 2023 at 1:54 pm

    Its a balloon… how would the chinese control it going over specific sites?

    • FrotLopOfficial

      March 10, 2023 at 2:08 pm

      It was floating extremely high up (5x consumer airlines) so satelite internet is readily available

    • scarlet starlet

      March 10, 2023 at 4:09 pm

      @FrotLopOfficial that does not answer the question

    • FrotLopOfficial

      March 10, 2023 at 4:14 pm

      @scarlet starlet You can control a drone over satelite internet. This is basically a long range drone.

    • bgezal

      March 10, 2023 at 6:15 pm

      The only way to steer a balloon is to make it go up or down, into a layer of wind that is moving in the direction you want. It is not always guaranteed that there exists winds to where you need to go.

  10. John Watson

    March 10, 2023 at 1:56 pm

    This dumbass apparently doesn’t realize the balloon is a perfect discreet delivery vehicle for biological & chemical warfare.

  11. Mus

    March 10, 2023 at 1:58 pm

    If the USA does the same…. it’s acceptable. Some other country does it. USA and the world loses it’s sh*t

  12. Notyesbetothefallssorcerer !whyme3

    March 10, 2023 at 2:19 pm

    That’s what I’m telling everyone it’s not a spy balloon. As it’s a disgrace to spy craft everywhere as no flying spyware should be detectable by commerical air traffic radar. It might be for a second by military radar, but for the rest of the time it’s not detectable, at least for 12 hours.

  13. Shaking Hands Art with Fralins and Friends

    March 10, 2023 at 2:32 pm

    Okay, I hear what he’s saying, but our military isn’t that dumb. Our news outlets, yes. However, balloons were used for recon during the Civil War here in the US. and during WWI by the Germans with their Zeppelins and even bombings before the Biplanes learned how to outfit their planes for weapons and bombings. I’ve been reading up for research on a book I’m writing. If I hadn’t, this guy would probably make a lot of sense. 😃😃👋👋💖💖

  14. Marzer Fυckerberg

    March 10, 2023 at 2:51 pm

    It’s more than one month since they started the investigation, so what are the results? Instead of listening to some random guy ‘debunking’ theories, I’d really like to know some facts. Nice accent though.

  15. Conrad Szymczak

    March 10, 2023 at 3:04 pm

    crap

  16. Lomogrammaton

    March 10, 2023 at 3:04 pm

    In the words of Turkish, “Did you understand a single word that he just said?”

  17. Lee Johnson

    March 10, 2023 at 3:22 pm

    My theory and again I state theory with no to little evidence is that it was filled with a covid strain, and they fully expected it to get shot down in America and they where shocked that it made it so far (hints them not making a issue with us shooting it but more of one about shooting it outside the USA over water)

  18. bruceleeyourface

    March 10, 2023 at 3:42 pm

    lol garbage content 😂

  19. Tragarful Law

    March 10, 2023 at 3:45 pm

    I don’t like that Intel agencies doing too much waiting and watching that’s how 911 happened.

    • Female Girl

      March 10, 2023 at 4:20 pm

      You’re in for a treat then.

  20. SoSo Sp

    March 10, 2023 at 3:53 pm

    Just the old trick that make Americans are panic like they did when USA invade Iraq.

  21. Blacklisted

    March 10, 2023 at 4:12 pm

    This guy didn’t really give any answers, he said it wasn’t a ufo which we all knew but he didn’t flat out say they didn’t use this for a future misle path, or that they used it for a bad intention or that it’s nothing to worry about, horrible explanation

  22. freesk8

    March 10, 2023 at 5:09 pm

    I don’t trust anyone. I wonder if this “spy historian” guy is CIA?

  23. JammastaJ23

    March 10, 2023 at 5:19 pm

    Why would you ever use balloons for surveillance instead of satellites?

    • FuckedUpGenius

      March 10, 2023 at 6:00 pm

      To test radar detection, for example.

    • NOK KKAY

      March 10, 2023 at 10:47 pm

      with satellites u can take pictures of people like ants with a balloon that big u can probably take a HD picture of a fruit fly in our living room

    • Jeshkam

      March 11, 2023 at 11:13 am

      *blloons

    • joels5150

      March 12, 2023 at 3:55 am

      A balloon, such as the spy one, is capable of independent movement. It can change direction and course. Satellites are fixed in their orbits, and the effort/resources needed to put a satellite into orbit are considerable and obvious. There aren’t ‘secret’ satellites. All the governments capable of launching them and tracking are aware when a new one goes up.

  24. Otte Otte

    March 10, 2023 at 5:41 pm

    Nice to put a face to the best accent on SpyCast!

  25. Jarrod Yuki

    March 10, 2023 at 8:20 pm

    japan will retake the kurils sakhalin and vladivostok south korea will take nroth koea.

    • Aresnir

      March 10, 2023 at 9:02 pm

      For what?

  26. lartts

    March 10, 2023 at 10:23 pm

    Y’all in the comments acting like the US doesn’t spy on China too, God the hypocrisy…

  27. loveforeignaccents

    March 10, 2023 at 11:22 pm

    That accent… I’m melting 😍😍.

  28. The Observer

    March 10, 2023 at 11:25 pm

    What about Google earth?

  29. The Observer

    March 10, 2023 at 11:30 pm

    So it is not a spy balloon? Cuz nothing spyish was found.

    • Jeshkam

      March 11, 2023 at 11:14 am

      *blloon

  30. Suwandi Karta Wijaya

    March 11, 2023 at 12:06 am

    Unsub for useless explanation, bye wired.

  31. gockfock10

    March 11, 2023 at 12:14 am

    So many Americans being bought with CCP money.
    Easiest to be compromised are the Americans.

  32. Siu Long Li

    March 11, 2023 at 12:28 am

    Frankly I’m disappointed that you tried to mask a political video as a technical video.

    • mvhess

      March 12, 2023 at 12:07 am

      How was this even remotely political? Right wing conspiracy nut found

    • Stuart Fraser

      March 14, 2023 at 3:11 pm

      He is an expert in this field, not a politician or political commentator… Just because it contradicts certain people’s views doesn’t make it a political oriented video.

  33. Brian Herlth

    March 11, 2023 at 3:18 am

    Not today CIA , Nice try FBI

  34. A S

    March 11, 2023 at 7:05 am

    Wired cringe binge

    • ᴛᴇxᴛ ᴍᴇ ᴏɴ ᴛᴇʟᴇɢʀᴀᴍ @WIRED_2

      March 11, 2023 at 7:43 am

      Thanks for watching and commenting, contact me I have something special for you🎁

  35. Invox

    March 11, 2023 at 10:06 am

    I think its more confirming that it was chinese and was in fact spying… 🤔

  36. Hon Kiu Chan

    March 11, 2023 at 1:06 pm

    In 1998 a rogue Canadian weather balloon that was over ’25 storeys’ tall also fitted with solar panels flew over Russia when it got caught up in the jet stream. It was a high altitude balloon designed to monitor the ozone layer. Claiming the size of a balloon can’t be a weather balloon because of it’s size is just ignorance.

    • ᴛᴇxᴛ ᴍᴇ ᴏɴ ᴛᴇʟᴇɢʀᴀᴍ👉Wired0111

      March 12, 2023 at 10:40 am

      🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉

  37. Hector Landes

    March 11, 2023 at 2:50 pm

    You should not assume it’s a spy balloon just because China is more technologically advanced in weather monitoring and you don’t understand their technology. It’s like saying I have a combustible-based car and yours is electric, I don’t know electric cars so I believe it’s a tank…

    • Hector Landes

      March 11, 2023 at 2:58 pm

      Another funny thing is that the US government said they have been monitoring the ballon since it took off in Hainai. So basically they have been spying on Hainan and after they complain that others are spying on them while acting like angels. Make no sense lol.

  38. Tad Ka

    March 11, 2023 at 2:51 pm

    it’s been a months since they recovered the debris, how come they are not showing us the hard evidence? they always use any excuse to scream that china is evil yet they are completely silent.

    • ᴍᴇꜱꜱᴀɢᴇ ᴍᴇ ᴏɴ ᴛᴇʟᴇɢʀᴀᴍ at 👉 Mr_WIRED

      March 11, 2023 at 3:44 pm

      Nice comments…
      Hit me up I have something for you….🎁🎁

    • ᴍᴇꜱꜱᴀɢᴇ ᴍᴇ ᴏɴ ᴛᴇʟᴇɢʀᴀᴍ at 👉 No_Life_Shaq0

      March 11, 2023 at 3:44 pm

      Nice comments…
      Hit me up I have something for you….🎁🎁

  39. UFO CHANNEL

    March 11, 2023 at 3:52 pm

    right we all know the first one was a spy balloon it was seen on tv and online. but what was the next 2 they shot down? one was said to look like a hexagon shape? what’s that about and it was about the size of a car? so i want to show you what i caught on film since June 2022 this is only a few nights i have over 100 now of the same types!

  40. smyger

    March 11, 2023 at 4:26 pm

    Still incredible how China responded to this incident. When will our leaders learn that China is too immature to be taken serious on the world stage. They need to be called out in their lies and deceit.

  41. VanillaCakez

    March 11, 2023 at 9:05 pm

    I don’t trust this fuckin shill

  42. Bruce Ludlow

    March 11, 2023 at 11:11 pm

    these weren’t real myths, jesus christ the click bait

  43. JLCY

    March 12, 2023 at 6:56 am

    What an accent! Horrible. Fit for the non-contents.

    • ᴛᴇxᴛ ᴍᴇ ᴏɴ ᴛᴇʟᴇɢʀᴀᴍ👉Wired0111

      March 12, 2023 at 10:15 am

      🎉🎉🎉🎉

  44. Gusty

    March 12, 2023 at 10:46 am

    Remember to visit your parents regularly to maintain a reasonable social credit

  45. Paul M

    March 12, 2023 at 12:25 pm

    I don’t quite understand the part about “can it see inside your windows?” Wouldn’t the imaging device (or the balloon itself) need to be level with the window in order to see in it?

    🌴☀️🌴

  46. James T.

    March 12, 2023 at 2:03 pm

    “B L O O N S”

  47. Benji Sun *Moxie*

    March 13, 2023 at 7:11 am

    “mental gymnastics” lol.

  48. 机身 李

    March 13, 2023 at 9:49 am

    我们只希望世界和平

  49. Branko Stanojević

    March 13, 2023 at 11:46 pm

    NENA predicted this 40 years ago

  50. Super Nova

    March 14, 2023 at 10:34 am

    HE IS A COMMUNIST !!! ITS A SPY BALLOON !!! HE IS TRYING TO BRAIN WASH YOU !!! LOL

  51. DadasaurusRex

    March 14, 2023 at 11:13 pm

    A balloon could carry CBRN methods as well, it doesn’t have to be a bomb.

  52. Dave Hart

    March 15, 2023 at 5:51 am

    Um, there’s the American thing where they can drop missiles out of a cargo plane, sooo, this is their response? You don’t need the plane, you have the balloon that could lazer guide the bombs… if its drifting that high up no one could detect it? it’s like a slow moving cheaper b52, dunno the cost of the rig, but, rough estimate ar the higher end, cost for cost, 1 b52 would be a billion, balloon 20 million, so 1 b52 = 50 balloons?

  53. Comrade MLGJoe

    March 16, 2023 at 8:27 pm

    Surprised the media did something like this.

  54. Comrade ProletaryongMLGJoe

    March 16, 2023 at 8:27 pm

    Surprised the media did something like this.

  55. Mukhor Roy

    March 17, 2023 at 10:47 pm

    Why You need a dumb Balloon If You have Satellite 🙄

  56. Cheryl Carter

    March 19, 2023 at 12:30 pm

    Chinese could choose many different ways to spy or attack. They own most of the phones or make most of the parts we need for our machinery.

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