Hitler's Spies

The incredible true story of the first four Nazi spies to infiltrate British soil is revealed in this WWII history.

After the swift takeover of France and the Low Countries, Nazi Germany was on the crest of a wave. Only the United Kingdom stood in its way. Hitler quickly devised plans for the invasion of England, codenamed Operation Sealion. To lay the groundwork, a team of spies would be sent in advance to act as pathfinders for the incoming forces.

Codenamed Operation Lena, this phase of the plan was considered a suicide mission by German military intelligence. They had only thirty days to recruit and train agents who had a less than convincing grasp of English language or customs. Hitler's Spies revels the story of the first four agents to arrive on English soil-collectively known by MI5 as "The Brussels Four."

Using a wealth of primary materials, including newly declassified sources, Mel Kavanagh sheds light on one of the most audacious yet little-known operations of the Second World War, in which undertrained men were sent behind enemy lines at a time when Britain was gripped by spy paranoia.

Texte du rabat

First book, written in English, dedicated to the story of the first four German spies who successfully arrived in the South of England as part of Operation Lena.September 1940: Britain stands alone against the might of the advancing German Army and the specter of invasion looms.Using a wealth of primary material including sources previously designated secret, this is the first book, written in English, dedicated to the story of the first four German spies who successfully arrived in the south of England.Using the codename Operation Lena, it was the initial undertaking to necessitate Hitler's invasion of England, itself codenamed Operation Sealion.These men were to be the pathfinders, the scouts, the eyes and ears that would help the first invasion of England for several hundred years.This extraordinary story stands as evidence of the only part of the invasion actually to arrive, of the abysmal quality of their selection and training, of the extraordinary fair-mindedness of a British jury, especially when Britain was gripped by spy paranoia.This is possibly one of the most audacious and least known episodes of the Second World War.