Churchill and Secret Service

AN IMPORTANT STUDY OF CHURCHILL AND HIS ROLE IN DEVELOPING THE SECRET SERVICE IN TWENTIETH CENTURY BRITAIN.

‘A startlingly good book.’ The Spectator

‘A fascinating narrative and a scholarly exegesis.’ Sunday Times

‘A tremendously well-written book. David Stafford really has added a new dimension to our understanding of the man.’ Times Literary Supplement

‘Well told and solidly grounded in archival and secondary sources . . . the sum total is original and enlightening.’ New York Times Book Review

‘A first-rate and, what is more remarkable, an original contribution to Churchilliana, of sure interest to students of Churchill, modern history, or military intelligence.’ Kirkus Reviews

Unusually, for a modern British statesman, Churchill believed passionately in the value of secret intelligence both in peace and war.

As a young correspondent and soldier in Cuba and South Africa he experienced its worth at first hand. Later, he was a member of the Cabinet that established the Secret Service to combat fears of German spying prior to World War I.

Churchill helped to ensure the passing of the Official Secrets Act of 1911 and was the first Home Secretary to authorise general warrants for the secret interception of mail. As wartime Prime Minister he built a centralised intelligence community, created the Special Operations Executive to work behind enemy lines and, with Roosevelt, built the transatlantic intelligence alliance that endures to this day.

Based on wide-ranging sources, Churchill and Secret Service offers an intriguing insight into both modern intelligence and the mind and character of Churchill himself. It is a great choice for anyone with an interest in modern espionage and military history.

READERS LOVE CHURCHILL AND SECRET SERVICE:

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Churchill was obsessed with intelligence and Stafford shows this trait in him from an early age. The whole is easy reading, has a good pace and is informative and enjoyable.’ H. M. Sykes

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘A brilliant read . . . it gives a great insight into the world of secrets, deception and spies.’ Eric Slaney

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘This is a really good read.’ Max