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During the Second World War, Britain and France engaged in a hidden struggle shaped by great power rivalry and covert political action. Intelligence archives reveal that Winston Churchill had decided against an alliance with France. To secure Britain's postwar position, he opted to consolidate control of the Middle East by creating a Greater Syria, establishing a Jewish State, and permitting a campaign of subversion to oust the French from the region. The strategy brought him up against Charles de Gaulle – whose intelligence services had penetrated the operation – and his own Foreign Secretary, Anthony Eden, who led a secret effort to salvage Franco-British relations. Churchill and de Gaulle traces a sweeping Churchillian effort to preserve Britain's great power status – and the end of the Entente Cordiale.
A brilliant analysis of the rivalry between the two ablest political leaders, writers and orators of twentieth-century Britain and France.
Professor Christopher Andrew, University of Cambridge
An outstanding account of how communications intelligence affects diplomacy. This book is required reading for anyone concerned with the diplomacy of the Second World War.
John Ferris, FRSC, Authorised Historian, The Government Communications Headquarters
An important new history of Franco-British relations during the Second World War. Hefler makes a persuasive argument that the stock image of Winston Churchill’s generosity and Charles de Gaulle’s ingratitude distorts at least as much as it illuminates.
Professor Peter Jackson, University of Glasgow
Hefler’s deeply researched and insightful study of the intelligence archives reveals much about the often-bitter relationship between Churchill and De Gaulle and is essential reading to understand Franco-British relations in the mid-twentieth century.
Professor Joe Maiolo, King’s College London
Dr. Matthew Hefler is Senior Research Fellow at the Center for Statecraft and Strategic Communication, Stockholm School of Economics, and Project Lead of the AJI Intelligence and Research Programme, Ax:son Johnson Institute for Statecraft and Diplomacy. He is a specialist in international history and intelligence history. Hefler received his PhD as a Commonwealth Scholar and Rotary International Global Grant Scholar at the Department of War Studies, King’s College London. His doctoral work on intelligence and allied relations during the Second World War was shortlisted for the Michael Dockrill Prize in International History by the British International History Group (BIHG).
Acknowledgements
Note on Text
List of Abbreviations
Introduction: Enemy of Britain
Part I
Chapter 1. Hidden Histories
Chapter 2. Strange Bedfellows
Chapter 3. Divisions Over France
Chapter 4. Intelligence and Churchill’s Turn Against de Gaulle
Part II
Chapter 5. The Middle East and Churchill’s Unofficial Policy
Chapter 6. ‘A Man of Action’: The Spears Mission
Chapter 7. The Lebanese Crisis
Chapter 8. Eden’s Secret Channel
Chapter 9. Eden’s Manoeuvre to Remove Spears, Part One
Chapter 10. Eden’s Manoeuvre to Remove Spears, Part Two
Part III
Chapter 11. The Fallout
Chapter 12. The Failure of Franco-British Relations
Chapter 13. ‘This Cannot be Forgotten’
Conclusion: The End of the Entente Cordiale
Bibliography
Index