A Necessary Relationship - The Development of Anglo-American Cooperation in Naval Intelligence

The relationship of the United States and Great Britain has been the subject of numerous studies with a particular emphasis on the idea of a special relationship based on traditional common ties of language, history, and political affinity. Although certainly special, Anglo-American cooperation arose from mutual necessity. Soybel examines the special relationship through a new lens-that of the most intimate of wartime collaborations, the naval intelligence relationship. Rather than looking at the uses of intelligence and espionage, Soybel explores how the cooperation was established and maintained, particularly through the creation of administrative bureaucracies, as well as how World War I and pre-war efforts helped pave the way towards wartime cooperation.

The development of the wartime cooperation in naval intelligence between 1939 and 1943 highlights the best and worst of the alliance and shows both its advantages and its limitations. It demonstrates that the Anglo-American partnership during World War II was a necessary one, and its intimacy demanded by the exigencies of the total war then being fought. Its problems were the result of traditional conflicts based on economics, imperial concerns, and national interests. Its successes found their bases in individual partnerships formed during the war, not in the overall one given mythical status by men like Winston Churchill. While still giving credit to the unique alliance that has survived in the last fifty years, this study shows that the close ties were necessary, not special.

List of contents

Introduction
Anglo-American Relations During World War I
British and American Political and Intelligence Considerations, 1936-1939
Exchanging Secrets: Efforts to Establish Intelligence Cooperation, 1939-1941
Exchanging Technical Information, 1939-1941
The Alliance at Work, 1941-1943
Questions of Security, 1941-1943
Allies for the Duration, 1942-1945
Conclusion
Bibliography

About the author

Phyllis L. Soybel is an Associate Professor at the College of Lake County. She has authored a number of articles and reviews on Anglo-American and naval history.

Product details

• Authors: Phyllis L. Soybel, Soybel Phyllis L.
• Publisher: Bloomsbury
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 30.01.2005
• EAN: 9780275971175
• ISBN: 978-0-275-97117-5
• Subjects: Non-fiction book > History > Miscellaneous; USA, European History, HISTORY / Military / General, POLITICAL SCIENCE / International Relations / General, military history, HISTORY / Military / Naval, HISTORY / Military / United States, POLITICAL SCIENCE / World / European, HISTORY / Europe / Great Britain / 20th Century, International Relations, Naval forces & warfare, Second World War, United Kingdom, Great Britain, United States of America, USA, c 1938 to c 1946 (World War Two period), Military intelligence, Modern warfare, c 1939 to c 1945 (including WW2), Naval forces and warfare, HISTORY / Military / Intelligence & Espionage, History / Wars & Conflicts / World War II / European Theater