Britain and European Resistance 1940-45 a survey of the Special Operations Executive

THE ESSENTIAL ACCOUNT OF THE SPECIAL OPERATIONS EXECUTIVE’S VITAL WORK DURING WORLD WAR TWO.

‘A masterly account of SOE’s two wars, that fought in Europe from Norway to Greece and that fought in Whitehall . . . [it] deserves to be read and digested as a significant contribution to our overall understanding of British strategy during the Second World War.’ D. C. Watt, Daily Telegraph

June 1940. British forces have been driven from the continent by Germany and almost all of Europe is under Nazi occupation. Britain fears an invasion and fifth-column activity is rife.

How could Britain hope to win the war?

In July 1940, the War Cabinet set up the Special Operations Executive. Its aim was to mobilise the potential resistance in occupied Europe by fostering and supporting sabotage and subversion.

But this was no simple task.

At first, SOE struggled to survive against the hostility and scepticism of more established British bodies including the Foreign Office, the regular services, and the Secret Intelligence Service. It had to build the necessary underground networks in Europe from scratch and depended heavily on the willingness and the ability of Europeans to actively resist the Nazis. SOE was also constantly threatened by German attempts to penetrate or destroy its networks.

As SOE overcame these obstacles, it proved that its existence was integral to Britain’s strategic war aims and necessary to achieve victory.

Britain and European Resistance 1940–45 is the first general survey of SOE operations in Europe to have been written using the wartime documents now available. David Stafford has produced a comprehensive study of Britain’s direct physical links with resistance in occupied Europe, which is set firmly in the wider strategic and diplomatic context of the war.

It is essential reading for anyone who enjoys World War Two histories or twentieth century and military history.

PRAISE FOR DAVID STAFFORD:

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘For me, and I would suggest for anyone at all interested in WWII, this is a must read. I will read it again.’ John

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘A really fascinating read. Interesting to note that at times the country was in a very precarious situation.’ PW