Secret Alliances : Special Operations and Intelligence in Norway 1940–1945 – The British Perspective

Secret Alliances is an authoritative new perspective on some of the most remarkable exploits of the Second World War, in which historian Tony Insall provides remarkable insights into the uniquely close political relationship that afforded powerful assistance for a successful Norwegian resistance movement.

Europe, 1940. Naziforces sweep across the continent, with a British invasion likely only weeksaway. Never before has a resistance movement been so crucial to the war effort. In this comprehensiveappraisal of Anglo-Norwegian cooperation in the Second World War, Tony Insallreveals some of the most striking successes of the Norwegian resistance,particularly the reports produced by the heroic SIS agents living in thecountry’s desolate wilderness. Their coast-watching intelligence highlightedthe movements of the German fleet and led to counter-strikes that sank manyenemy ships – most notably the Tirpitz in November 1944. Delving deep into thearchives, Insall also shows how SIS and SOE’s effective cooperation with theirNorwegian counterparts produced some of the most remarkable achievements of thewar. This fully updatededition draws on a wealth of new source material, revealing previously unknownstories of fraught sea crossings, a disastrous British-Norwegian operation,covert dealings with the Russians and much more.