Ungentlemanly Warriors or Unreliable Diplomats? Special Operations Executive and 'Irregular Political Activities' in Europe

Abstract

This paper examines the development of SOE's 'irregular political activities'. It argues that SOE's approach to political warfare evolved considerably over the course of the war, partly as a response to changes in SOE's leadership, but primarily on account of its failure to carve a niche for itself within British diplomacy in Europe that did not 'threaten' the interests of the established government agencies in this area. Despite a recrudescence of its covert political work in the final year of the war, SOE was unable to persuade the political and military leadership of the benefits of conducting 'irregular political activities' in support of British diplomacy and as a consequence the legacy it was able to leave for Britain's post-war operations in this area was a meagre one.