Espionage, Security and Intelligence in Britain 1945-1970 (Documents in Contemporary History)

In post-war Britain, the secret services were more anxious to remain in the shadows than were those of any other Western country. This volume suggests that, although discreet, they were not marginal or peripheral; they were central to British policy-making and implementation. Human espionage, signals intelligence, internal security, counter-subversion, special operations and "black" propaganda were all brought to bear on Britain’s problems, and were co-ordinated at the highest level. Drawing on sources only recently declassified in London and Washington, Richard J. Aldrich offers an authoritative documentation on aspects of government that have often been poorly understood. These issues are set in a broad context, demonstrating their impact upon the direction of the Cold War, nuclear weapons policy, decolonization and Britain’s relations with major allies.