Secret war : the story of SOE : Britain's wartime sabotage organisation / Nigel West.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

West, Nigel, author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Great Britain. Special Operations Executive--History.

Great Britain.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (246 pages)

Place of Publication:

Barnsley, South Yorkshire : Frontline Books, [2019]

Summary:

The author of The Kompromat Conspiracy reveals the truth behind Great Britain's secret World War II group.What did SOE really achieve during the Second World War? Why were so many agents parachuted into enemy hands? Who chose to back Communist guerrillas in Yugoslavia, Hungary, Romania, Albania, Greece and Malaya in preference to other anti-Axis movements? In this newly revised edition, Nigel West strips away the secrecy that has surrounded the Special Operations Executive since it was officially wound up in 1946, and reveal the breathtaking political naivety, operational incompetence, and ruthless manipulation. Despite the heroism of individual agents who suffered appalling privation to further the organization's dubious objectives, there is an underlying tragedy of dreadful proportions.Secret Waris a detailed analysis of SOE's structure and performance and describes its successes and failures across the globe. The book casts doubt on the official histories authorized by the Cabinet Office, offers evidence of the setbacks that jeopardized D-Day, and gives an account of the paramilitary units dropped behind enemy lines immediately after the invasion, which saved SOE's reputation.This book is a highly provocative but authoritative history of the organization that existed for less than six years but had a lasting impact on the world's postwar development."Secret War is important, even necessary in political terms." --Financial Times

Contents:

Intro

Title

Copyright

Contents

Introduction

1 The First Two Years

2 A Branch of the Secret Service? SOE in the Middle East

3 Suspicion and Misgiving: Scandinavian Operations 68

4 'Der Englandspiel': SOE in Holland, Belgium and Czechoslovakia

5 A Deep and Abiding Jealousy: French Operations

6 A Hot Humid Summer: SOE in North Africa and the Balkans

7 Pass Down the Blame: SOE in Greece

8 Exorbitant Cost: The Oriental Mission

9 Too Many Plans: The India Mission

10 Bitter and Unfruitful Arguments: SOE in South-East Asia

11 Clandestine Bodies: SOE in 1944

Conclusion

Appendix I SOE's Organisation, Structure and Personnel

Appendix II SOE's Special Training Schools

Appendix III Jedburghs

Source Notes.

Notes:

Description based on publisher supplied metadata and other sources.

Description based on print version record.

Includes index.

ISBN:

1-5267-5567-X

OCLC:

1206396574