Spies And Sabotage In WW2
During World War II, both the Allies and Axis Powers carried out covert operations to disrupt enemy operations and gather intelligence in order to gain the upper hand. Many countries set up their own agencies or resistance movements to recruit and train spies. Here they would carry out special missions behind enemy lines or lend support to the war effort.
Special Operations Executive
The Special Operations Executive (SOE) was established in Britian in 1940 to undermine Axis Powers through subversion and sabotage. They employed tactics including the disruption of supply lines and communication networks as well as collecting intelligence on enemy activities. Individuals were recruited from a range of backgrounds including civilian and military. Violette Szabo was one such female agent, who was deployed in France to support the French resistance and gather German movement intelligence.
American Office Of Strategic Services
The Office of Strategic Services (OSS) was established in the USA under the order of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, two years after the SOE, and is considered a precursor the modern day CIA. During Operation Jedburgh, one of their most famous operations, teams of spies were sent to France in the lead up to D-Day to provide support through guerilla warfare. As well as intelligence gathering, the OSS also produced and distributed propaganda material to help undermine enemy morale.
Abwehr
The Abwehr was the military intelligence service of Nazi Germany that was established in 1920 and played a significant role in Germany’s military strategy during the war. One operation in particular, Operation Nordpol or Englandspiel, successfully deceived British and Dutch resistance networks by capturing British Special Operations Executive agents. This allowed them to control communications and feedback misinformation to the Allies. They also carried out sabotage efforts including the planting of bombs on British and American soil. The Abwher operated in direct conflict with other German intelligence organisations, leading to internal conflicts and inefficiencies in many of their operations.
Japanese Espionage
Japanese espionage was a major part of its military strategy. Using a combination of its Kempeitai (military police), naval and army intelligence forces, Japan were able to gather information on enemy troop movements, such as Operation M where the Japanese navy was able to gather intelligence on the USA Pacific Fleet. Perhaps the most famous example of espionage carried out was in the lead up to the attack on Pearl Harbour in 1941, which was facilitated through accumulated intelligence. Many of the Japanese tactics for gathering information involved brutal tactics, especially by the Kempeitai, which led to many intelligence officers being tried for human rights abuses after the war.
Impact Of Spies, Espionage And Sabotage
There have been ethical considerations as to whether the ends justified the means concerning spies, with many agents recruited under duress or using torture methods to gather the information they needed. The demand to improve espionage tactics did have wider reaching benefits, leading to the development and improvement of current technology such as cryptography and communication systems. After the war, many of the espionage agencies went on to devise new and creative ways to carry out their work.
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Gavin Crewe is a regular contributor of informative articles to Oxford Home Schooling.
