Category: History: Europe: England

Copyright/published Year: 2009 by Knopf

ISBN: 0307263630

Binding: CLOTH

Description: An unprecedented publishing event: to mark the centenary of its ì foundation, the British Security Service, MI5, has for the first ì time opened its archives to an independent historian. The book ì reveals the precise role of the Security Service in ì twentieth-century British history, from its foundation by Captain ì Kell of the British Army in October 1909, through two world wars, ì up to and including its present roles in counterespionage and ì counterterrorism. The book describes how MI5 has been managed, ì what its relationship has been with government, where it has ì triumphed, and where it has failed. In all of this no restriction ì has been placed on the judgments made by the author.

Defend the Realm also adds significantly to our knowledge ì of many celebrated events and notorious individuals and ì definitively lays to rest a number of persistent myths. Above ì all, it shows the place of this previously extremely secretive ì organization within the United Kingdom. Few books could make such ì an immediate and extraordinary increase to our understanding of ì British history over the past century.

Condition Information

This book is new.