C: The Secret Life of Sir Stewart Graham Menzies, Spymaster to Winston Churchill - Softcover

Brown (Bodyguard of Lies) has dug up an impressive amount of information about the almost-legendary figure who headed British Intelligence during World War II and the early years of the Cold War. Menzies's organizational and proprietary efforts on behalf of the Ultra Project, by which German codes were broken and monitored, are covered in detail. The author reveals how "C" 's guardianship of the Ultra secret became his most important task during the war. In the end he became a prisoner of the secret, as Brown puts it, for he could not reveal it even in his own defense. Thus Menzies refrained from justifying his appointment of Kim Philby, the Soviet penetration agent, to the post of counterespionage chief. Brown examines the "inexplicable decisions" made by Menzies in regard to Philby, which included assigning him as liaison officer to the CIA and FBI during the Cold War, a position in which he had more access to secret military and policy information than any foreigner in Washington. Photos.
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc.

The subject of this monumental biography was head of the British Secret Service, SIS, during World War II and until 1952. Many of his agency's triumphs against the Third Reich are described and original views of other intelligence operations and personnel are given. Despite his wartime success, Menzies's tenure came to be clouded by the revelation that one of his SIS employees, Kim Philby, was a Soviet spy. As in much of the literature, clear answers are seldom or convincingly given, and here we are left with the impression that Philby may have been used by the United States and the British to feed the Soviets misinformation. Historians and spy fans will find much of interest in this extensively researched book.George H. Siehl, Library of Congress
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc.