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The Defence Of The Realm: The Authorised History Of MI5: Christopher Andrew
The Defence Of The Realm: The Authorised History Of MI5: Christopher Andrew
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To mark the centenary of its foundation, the British Security Service, MI5, opened its archives to an independent historian. This is an unprecedented publication, revealing the precise role of the Service in twentieth-century British history, from its foundation by Captain Kell of the British Army in October 1909 to root out 'the spies of the Kaiser' up to its present role in countering Islamic terrorism. It describes the distinctive ethos of MI5, how the organization has been managed, its relationship with the government, where it has triumphed and where it has failed. In all of this, no restriction has been placed on the judgements made by the author. There is also new light cast on many events and periods in British history: that MI5 was probably the pre-war department with the best understanding of Hitler's objectives; the department's success in turning German agents during the Second World War; and that it had much greater roles than has hitherto been realised during the end of the Empire and in responding to the recurrent fears of successive governments (both Conservative and Labour) regarding Cold War/ Communist subversion. It has new information about the Profumo affair and its aftermath, the 'Magnificent Five' and a range of formerly unconfirmed Soviet contacts. Also revealed: although MI5 had a file on Harold Wilson, there was no plot against him; and what really happened during the failed IRA attack in Gibraltar in March 1988. Illustrated with numerous black and white archival photographs.
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Autobiography/Bio/Non-Fiction, Paperback; Penguin 2010 reprint (updated from 1st edition); very faint shelfwear; no spine creasesShare
