What do you think?
Rate this book
Operation Fortitude
Operation Fortitude was the ingenious web of deception spun by the Allies to mislead the Nazis as to how and where the D-Day landings were to be mounted.
'One of the most creative intelligence operations of all time' – Kim Philby
The story of how this web was woven is one of intrigue, personal drama, ground-breaking techniques, internal resistance, and good fortune. It is a tale of double agents, black radio broadcasts, phantom armies, 'Ultra' decrypts, and dummy parachute drops. These diverse tactics were intended to come together to create a single narrative so compelling that it would convince Adolf Hitler of its authenticity.
Operation Fortitude was intended to create the false impression that the Normandy landings were merely a feint to disguise a massive forthcoming invasion by this American force in the Pas de Calais. In other words, the success of D-Day – the beginning of the end of the Second World War – was made possible by the efforts of men and women who were not present on the Normandy beaches.
Men such as Juan Pujol, a Spanish double-agent (code-name GARBO) who sent hundreds of wireless messages from London to Madrid in the build-up to D-Day relaying supposed intelligence from his fictitious spy network. This allowed the enemy to conclude that the number of Allied divisions preparing to invade was twice the actual number.
Men such as R.V Jones, the head of British Scientific Intelligence, who masterminded the dropping of tinfoil confetti from the bomb-bay doors of Lancaster bombers, creating a false impression that a flotilla of Allied ships was heading in the opposite direction to the genuine invasion fleet.
Using first hand sources from a wide range of archives, government documents, letters and memos Operation Fortitude builds a picture of what wartime Britain was like, as well as the immense pressure these men and women were working under and insure D-Day succeeded.
'One of the most creative intelligence operations of all time' – Kim Philby
The story of how this web was woven is one of intrigue, personal drama, ground-breaking techniques, internal resistance, and good fortune. It is a tale of double agents, black radio broadcasts, phantom armies, 'Ultra' decrypts, and dummy parachute drops. These diverse tactics were intended to come together to create a single narrative so compelling that it would convince Adolf Hitler of its authenticity.
Operation Fortitude was intended to create the false impression that the Normandy landings were merely a feint to disguise a massive forthcoming invasion by this American force in the Pas de Calais. In other words, the success of D-Day – the beginning of the end of the Second World War – was made possible by the efforts of men and women who were not present on the Normandy beaches.
Men such as Juan Pujol, a Spanish double-agent (code-name GARBO) who sent hundreds of wireless messages from London to Madrid in the build-up to D-Day relaying supposed intelligence from his fictitious spy network. This allowed the enemy to conclude that the number of Allied divisions preparing to invade was twice the actual number.
Men such as R.V Jones, the head of British Scientific Intelligence, who masterminded the dropping of tinfoil confetti from the bomb-bay doors of Lancaster bombers, creating a false impression that a flotilla of Allied ships was heading in the opposite direction to the genuine invasion fleet.
Using first hand sources from a wide range of archives, government documents, letters and memos Operation Fortitude builds a picture of what wartime Britain was like, as well as the immense pressure these men and women were working under and insure D-Day succeeded.
325 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 22, 2011
53 people are currently reading
533 people want to read
About the author
Joshua Levine
37 books65 followersJoshua Levine was born in the Bahamas. He has a law degree and practiced as a criminal barrister for several years in London. He gave up law and became an actor, appearing in amateur theatre productions. He also worked as an assistant producer, working on a documentary about Handel's Water Music. He wrote a stage play entitled, Crash, and went on to write programs for BBC Radio 4. He is the author of Forgotten Voices, Beauty and Atricity, On a Wing and a Prayer, Operation Fortitude, The Secret History of the Blitz, and Dunkirk.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
May 1, 2021
Most people who have read about the landings in Normandy are aware that the Allied set up a deception operation to make the Germans believe that the real invasion would take place between Boulogne and Calais. Until recently, what we knew about this operation was limited to the existence of the dummy tanks and landing craft that were accumulated in Kent and in the Thames estuary.
It is only after the declassification of top secret information that the world learned about the role played by double agents - and this is the story this book covers.
And it is a thrilling one - just another example that reality often defies fiction.
Serious people tend to think that John Le Carré gives a more realistic view of the world of intelligence and counterintelligence than Ian Fleming. And, indeed, a lot of the characters discussed in Operation Fortitude are sad rather than glamorous and opportunistic rather than duty driven. However, some of the episodes in the book would fit easily in the world of Fleming - and the reader will even encounter the man who claims to have been the inspiration for James Bond (I find the claim very credible).
It is only after the declassification of top secret information that the world learned about the role played by double agents - and this is the story this book covers.
And it is a thrilling one - just another example that reality often defies fiction.
Serious people tend to think that John Le Carré gives a more realistic view of the world of intelligence and counterintelligence than Ian Fleming. And, indeed, a lot of the characters discussed in Operation Fortitude are sad rather than glamorous and opportunistic rather than duty driven. However, some of the episodes in the book would fit easily in the world of Fleming - and the reader will even encounter the man who claims to have been the inspiration for James Bond (I find the claim very credible).
August 12, 2018
This is a very interesting account of British deception plans leading up to the D-Day invasion. A varied and intriguing cast of characters. Readers might also be interested in accounts of Operation Mincemeat which was another bit of deception used earlier in the war to confuse the Germans.
December 6, 2011
Joshua Levine's book is a very enjoyable read and he has done well to tell the story of Operation Fortitude simply but with enough detail for most readers. I say this as I once tried to read Roger Hesketh's Fortitude, which was written in 1947, but I found it too heavy and stilted as it is in essence an official after action report to Intelligence commanders.
There has clearly been much research done by Mr Levine as can be seen by the acknowledgements, sources and bibliography. I found the stories of the principle agents and their recruitment alongside the development of both the Double Cross organisation and the evolution of various deception plans including of course the Fortitude operation itself intriguing (no pun intended).
I shall now plan to read volume 5 of the official history on the UK Intelligence Services' roles in WWII by Sir Michael Howard, which the author recommends.
There has clearly been much research done by Mr Levine as can be seen by the acknowledgements, sources and bibliography. I found the stories of the principle agents and their recruitment alongside the development of both the Double Cross organisation and the evolution of various deception plans including of course the Fortitude operation itself intriguing (no pun intended).
I shall now plan to read volume 5 of the official history on the UK Intelligence Services' roles in WWII by Sir Michael Howard, which the author recommends.
October 12, 2015
This book describes the various deceptions performed by the Allies during the buildup to D-day. The double-cross system of having captured German spies and double agents send concocted messages back to Germany is explained in some detail.There are references to various other deceptions, such as the creation of fake boats, harbors and airfields, or the impersonation of General Montgomery by an actor.
So the book is a good general introduction to this topic, but it wasn't particularly memorable or original. I felt it read too much like the author was conscientiously going through a checklist of possible deceptions, rather than weaving it all together in one coherent narrative.
So the book is a good general introduction to this topic, but it wasn't particularly memorable or original. I felt it read too much like the author was conscientiously going through a checklist of possible deceptions, rather than weaving it all together in one coherent narrative.
September 14, 2025
As World War II proceeded, the Allies knew that they needed to invade Fortress Europe (German-occupied Europe) to defeat Germany and the Axis powers. Germany knew that too, and kept building stronger defenses at all the obvious landing points along the Belgian and French coastal areas. It was a guessing game: Would the Allies land at Normandy, as rumored, or might there be a strategic feint with the main landing somewhere else?
To sow confusion and minimize the challenge of invading a heavily defended coast, the Allies created an elaborate deception called Operation Fortitude. A combination of double agents, fictitious armies, and fake radio traffic was used to convince the Germans that Pas de Calais was the intended landing destination. Most challenging was the attempt to manipulate German intelligence with German spies who had secretly been turned into double agents by British Intelligence. The balancing act was critical: They couldn't share inaccurate data lest they be discredited, but they couldn't share too much accurate intelligence either, lest they give Germany an advantage.
Joshua Levine explains how this elaborate hoax was created, managed, and worked to keep thousands of German troops away from Normandy during D-Day, not only during the landing, but for weeks thereafter. Operation Fortitude undoubtedly saved thousands of Allied (and Axis) lives, and remains one of the most successful acts of misinformation in any war.
The challenge I had with this book, however, is that by not framing the big picture early, the first portion of the book seemed very incoherent, facts presented without sufficient context. Once it pulls together, it becomes far more interesting, but as with many history books, it often seems like a collection of stories about people who weren't obviously important to the larger narrative. At least once, I considered putting it down and not finishing before I got to the halfway mark.
Ultimately, it's a well-researched book on a fascinating and less frequently discussed aspect of World War II that would benefit from an early chapter explaining how all the pieces fit together to establish a context earlier in the reading.
To sow confusion and minimize the challenge of invading a heavily defended coast, the Allies created an elaborate deception called Operation Fortitude. A combination of double agents, fictitious armies, and fake radio traffic was used to convince the Germans that Pas de Calais was the intended landing destination. Most challenging was the attempt to manipulate German intelligence with German spies who had secretly been turned into double agents by British Intelligence. The balancing act was critical: They couldn't share inaccurate data lest they be discredited, but they couldn't share too much accurate intelligence either, lest they give Germany an advantage.
Joshua Levine explains how this elaborate hoax was created, managed, and worked to keep thousands of German troops away from Normandy during D-Day, not only during the landing, but for weeks thereafter. Operation Fortitude undoubtedly saved thousands of Allied (and Axis) lives, and remains one of the most successful acts of misinformation in any war.
The challenge I had with this book, however, is that by not framing the big picture early, the first portion of the book seemed very incoherent, facts presented without sufficient context. Once it pulls together, it becomes far more interesting, but as with many history books, it often seems like a collection of stories about people who weren't obviously important to the larger narrative. At least once, I considered putting it down and not finishing before I got to the halfway mark.
Ultimately, it's a well-researched book on a fascinating and less frequently discussed aspect of World War II that would benefit from an early chapter explaining how all the pieces fit together to establish a context earlier in the reading.
May 28, 2021
In questo libro Levine ripercorre la breve ma importante storia di uomini e istituzioni britanniche che hanno messo in piedi una rete di disinformazione che ha contribuito in modo determinante alla riuscita dello sbarco in Normandia nel 1944.
L'opera si divide in due parti: nella prima vengono presentati gli uomini dei servizi segreti britannici che per primi capirono l'importanza di spie doppiogiochiste sotto il loro controllo e le spie vere e proprie che entrarono a far parte di questo dipartimento, il Double Cross.
Nella seconda parte invece vengono analizzate le dinamiche effettive che, tra attenta pianificazione e alterne fortune, consentirono di fornire ai tedeschi le informazioni fuorvianti che permisero alle truppe alleate di sbarcare in Francia.
E' interessante come le "spie" che i tedeschi credevano al loro servizio poco o niente avevano da spartire con gli agenti segreti a cui ci hanno abituati cinema e letteratura. Fantasiosi megalomani, contadini, dongiovanni, studenti... Nessuno di loro aveva una formazione specifica e quel che per loro tramite si riuscì a realizzare ha dell'incredibile.
Opera davvero molto interessante per la luce che getta sui meno conosciuti "dietro le quinte" della IIGM che hanno gettato le basi per quel gioco di spionaggio e controspionaggio che poi sarà il fulcro della guerra fredda. La seconda parte diventa un po' difficile da seguire a meno che non si sia abbastanza avezzi con la composizione di un esercito; per quanto mi riguarda, tra battaglioni, corpi d'armata e armate a un certo punto mi sono arresa (il che non mi ha impedito di apprezzare il quadro generale).
Lo stile è leggero e a tratti divertente, tanto che i pochi dettagli tragici colpiscono di più proprio perché del tutto inattesi.
Se devo trovargli un difetto è che l'autore spesso dà troppi dettagli, in particolare nella prima parte, rendendo la narrazione poco incisiva e, a tratti, noiosa.
Nel complesso, un'ottima lettura per gli appassionati del genere.
L'opera si divide in due parti: nella prima vengono presentati gli uomini dei servizi segreti britannici che per primi capirono l'importanza di spie doppiogiochiste sotto il loro controllo e le spie vere e proprie che entrarono a far parte di questo dipartimento, il Double Cross.
Nella seconda parte invece vengono analizzate le dinamiche effettive che, tra attenta pianificazione e alterne fortune, consentirono di fornire ai tedeschi le informazioni fuorvianti che permisero alle truppe alleate di sbarcare in Francia.
E' interessante come le "spie" che i tedeschi credevano al loro servizio poco o niente avevano da spartire con gli agenti segreti a cui ci hanno abituati cinema e letteratura. Fantasiosi megalomani, contadini, dongiovanni, studenti... Nessuno di loro aveva una formazione specifica e quel che per loro tramite si riuscì a realizzare ha dell'incredibile.
Opera davvero molto interessante per la luce che getta sui meno conosciuti "dietro le quinte" della IIGM che hanno gettato le basi per quel gioco di spionaggio e controspionaggio che poi sarà il fulcro della guerra fredda. La seconda parte diventa un po' difficile da seguire a meno che non si sia abbastanza avezzi con la composizione di un esercito; per quanto mi riguarda, tra battaglioni, corpi d'armata e armate a un certo punto mi sono arresa (il che non mi ha impedito di apprezzare il quadro generale).
Lo stile è leggero e a tratti divertente, tanto che i pochi dettagli tragici colpiscono di più proprio perché del tutto inattesi.
Se devo trovargli un difetto è che l'autore spesso dà troppi dettagli, in particolare nella prima parte, rendendo la narrazione poco incisiva e, a tratti, noiosa.
Nel complesso, un'ottima lettura per gli appassionati del genere.
January 16, 2024
Detailed story about a little known part of world war two: the allies campaign to deceive and fool the enemy as to their moves and intentions. Although Operation Fortitude refers to the campaign to fool the Germans into thinking the Normandy invasion was a mere diversion from the main landings, this book goes back further to explain how the allies counter intelligence worked in the African and Italian campaigns as well.
While the allies used such devices as inflatable tanks and planes to try and fool the German intelligence, it is explained they really didn't work since the Germans no longer had the ability to fly recon over Great Britain. Ditto for all the fake wireless traffic the allies created hoping the Germans would intercept the transmissions and be convinced of large armies in southeastern England preparing for invasion. The Germans it is revealed, just didn't have the capability of monitoring all the transmissions that were being sent out.
Instead the author explains how it really was a series of spies and double agents that were under control of the British that helped keep the Germans guessing as to where the real landings were to be. Even after the troops landed at Normandy the deception had to continue to keep the Germans from moving their reserves into the area. Instead they held them back, waiting for the "real" invasion that never came.
A well written and intriguing book that includes many of the mistakes made in counterintelligence, including one where they so convinced the Italians a massive landing was coming at one spot that the Italians felt the position was indefensible so they removed their troops to another spot. Unfortunately the allies had no plans to land at the first spot and the trick backfired as the spot the Italians moved their troops to was the real target of the allies!
The book can get a bit confusing with all the talk of spies and double agents, but pay attention and if you stick to it, you'll enjoy a infrequently told story about world war two.
While the allies used such devices as inflatable tanks and planes to try and fool the German intelligence, it is explained they really didn't work since the Germans no longer had the ability to fly recon over Great Britain. Ditto for all the fake wireless traffic the allies created hoping the Germans would intercept the transmissions and be convinced of large armies in southeastern England preparing for invasion. The Germans it is revealed, just didn't have the capability of monitoring all the transmissions that were being sent out.
Instead the author explains how it really was a series of spies and double agents that were under control of the British that helped keep the Germans guessing as to where the real landings were to be. Even after the troops landed at Normandy the deception had to continue to keep the Germans from moving their reserves into the area. Instead they held them back, waiting for the "real" invasion that never came.
A well written and intriguing book that includes many of the mistakes made in counterintelligence, including one where they so convinced the Italians a massive landing was coming at one spot that the Italians felt the position was indefensible so they removed their troops to another spot. Unfortunately the allies had no plans to land at the first spot and the trick backfired as the spot the Italians moved their troops to was the real target of the allies!
The book can get a bit confusing with all the talk of spies and double agents, but pay attention and if you stick to it, you'll enjoy a infrequently told story about world war two.
November 23, 2025
Good book, would recommend. Levine has done a lot of thorough research and has included a lot of first-hand accounts from the people who were central to the Double Cross System and Fortitude. I enjoyed the background of the Double Cross System, and in particular when the spotlight was on Dudley Clarke, more than what happened on and beyond D-Day, because it felt less rushed and detailed. Once D-Day was taking shape, it almost became about military strategy, and there are way too may Divisions and Corps listed to keep track of. I also found the necessity of a dramatis personae, because the sheer amount of people involved is so high. Little nitpick as well - I’m sure by the term for small amounts of legit information that can be passed on is ‘chickenfeed’, not ‘chickenfood [sic]’.
I wished the legacy of the operation was discussed. Where does it stand in the history of espoinage? How does it compare to Mincemeat in the role of effectively deciding the War? The ‘what happened after’ for the agents was great, but I would have liked to have seen the same for Stephens, Masterman, Robertson, Clarke and Liddell.
It is a good book, thorough, gripping and very immersive into the lives of these people, as well as just the actions. I have Juan Pujol Garcia/Nigel West’s book on Garcia and this book makes me want to read about at least Dudley Clarke and Arthur Owens too.
I wished the legacy of the operation was discussed. Where does it stand in the history of espoinage? How does it compare to Mincemeat in the role of effectively deciding the War? The ‘what happened after’ for the agents was great, but I would have liked to have seen the same for Stephens, Masterman, Robertson, Clarke and Liddell.
It is a good book, thorough, gripping and very immersive into the lives of these people, as well as just the actions. I have Juan Pujol Garcia/Nigel West’s book on Garcia and this book makes me want to read about at least Dudley Clarke and Arthur Owens too.
June 25, 2019
I loved this book. I was sat alone laughing at how ingenious some of the deceptions were and loved the characters like Pujol, Popov, and others. This opened my eyes to an aspect of the war I had no idea about and look forward to reading more on this topic, as suggested in the bibliography. I felt a sense of satisfaction at how inept the Nazi intelligence machine was... tossers.
My only gripe was at times there were too many names and details to remember.
Also, I expected a bit more of an exciting finale with how all this deception culminated with the D-Day landings. I think it was just assumed the reader knows all the details about D-Day, and frankly, I don't and it would have been nice to get some more background. I got a little lost with dates and things and wasn't sure if the D-Day landings had happened or not. This may be my own lack of concentration though.
But this is one of those books I will try to get friends to read, which doesn't happen often, so on that basis, I think it's 5 stars.
My only gripe was at times there were too many names and details to remember.
Also, I expected a bit more of an exciting finale with how all this deception culminated with the D-Day landings. I think it was just assumed the reader knows all the details about D-Day, and frankly, I don't and it would have been nice to get some more background. I got a little lost with dates and things and wasn't sure if the D-Day landings had happened or not. This may be my own lack of concentration though.
But this is one of those books I will try to get friends to read, which doesn't happen often, so on that basis, I think it's 5 stars.
August 12, 2023
This was ok, but ultimately suffered from the fact I'd read most of the information before, namely from the likes of Ben Macintyre, as the first half of this book covers the British Double Cross spy system during WWII.
If however you were coming into this book with no previous knowledge of Double Cross or D Day, then it may indeed be very informative. But if you've already read up on the subjects by the likes of Antony Beevor, Ben Macintyre and Stephen Ambrose, then there's not much new light on the subject shed.
Perhaps the ultimate conclusion that the Germans still thought that an attack on the Pas de Calais had been planned right up till their defeat in 1945 and beyond, would be a revelation to some.
If however you were coming into this book with no previous knowledge of Double Cross or D Day, then it may indeed be very informative. But if you've already read up on the subjects by the likes of Antony Beevor, Ben Macintyre and Stephen Ambrose, then there's not much new light on the subject shed.
Perhaps the ultimate conclusion that the Germans still thought that an attack on the Pas de Calais had been planned right up till their defeat in 1945 and beyond, would be a revelation to some.
July 1, 2022
I enjoyed this book.
It tells the story of the Double Cross team set up to deceive the Nazis prior to the D-Day invasion.
The agents, most of whom "worked" for both sides whilst being loyal to the Allies, were a mixed group of people who had fallen out with the Nazis or been converted to the Ally's side by the special Team set up to recruit spys.
It reads like a wartime James Bond story and some of the people involved in the establihment of the Team were well known today such as David Niven, Dennis Wheatley & Ian Flemming.
An intreguing story that proves the adage Truth is stranger than fiction!
It tells the story of the Double Cross team set up to deceive the Nazis prior to the D-Day invasion.
The agents, most of whom "worked" for both sides whilst being loyal to the Allies, were a mixed group of people who had fallen out with the Nazis or been converted to the Ally's side by the special Team set up to recruit spys.
It reads like a wartime James Bond story and some of the people involved in the establihment of the Team were well known today such as David Niven, Dennis Wheatley & Ian Flemming.
An intreguing story that proves the adage Truth is stranger than fiction!
March 16, 2021
This is a well written and readable account of the Fortitude deception but at least half the book is taken up with background and the earlier careers of some of the main protagonists, all of which is available in more detail elsewhere. So I didn't find as much detailed information on the operation itself as I was hoping for. Nevertheless, Levine's select bibliography has given me some pointers as to where to go next.
July 27, 2017
Interesting
This is an interesting book. I already knew the broad outline of the story but not the individual characters. Too many names that are not worth remembering made it somewhat dull
This is an interesting book. I already knew the broad outline of the story but not the individual characters. Too many names that are not worth remembering made it somewhat dull
May 10, 2020
Very good. Read like fiction. Recommended.
June 12, 2020
Couldn't finish for some reason. It wasn't bad just slow moving. Wordy with long chapters.
October 20, 2024
Vrij vergelijkbaar met Double Cross van Macintyre dus weinig nieuws, toch met veel plezier gelezen.
August 11, 2024
Highly enjoyed this story/account of the deception used in WW2.
July 7, 2012
I have a couple of complaints about this book - which may make the 4 stars seem odd - firstly, the title "Operation Fortitude" I found that less than half the book is actually about "Fortitude" and secondly, when it does move on to "Fortitude" it isn't about the entire deception, it is only about the "Double Cross" aspect of it, this would have probably been better off being a extended in to a history of either "Double Cross" or should have been "Operation Fortitude: How Double Cross fooled the Germans" or something similar.
However, the book is very good. It's very engaging, and reads very well, it's not a 'heavy' history book and the writing style is very easy to get in to. History books can be very hit or miss depending on how well (or badly) they have been written, but this is written extremely well.
I will admit that I am disappointed that the book wasn't about the whole of "Operation Fortitude" as I was hoping to read about the inflatable tanks and the physical deception of how we made fake armies and armoured divisions in the south of England to fool German reconnaissance in to thinking we were attacking other areas of France too. There were only a few pages on this and if I am honest, that was what I wanted to read about most and was disappointed with the lack of words and pages devoted to this.
I was also disappointed that the first almost 200 pages were about how the "Double Cross" agents were 'collected' and how they turned German agents in to British agents. Whilst I found it interesting, I did find it a bit tedious after a while and thought that this could maybe have taken only 3 or 4 chapters, and not 200 pages. There was too much history on how "Double Cross" started too, again multiple chapters that should possibly have only had a couple at the most so the majority of the book could have been focused on "Fortitude" and included more about the physical deception that was played out.
It seems like I have more complaints about the book than I have positives, which I possibly do, but that doesn't change the fact that I really did enjoy the book despite the negatives, and I found it a very interesting read and am thankful that my friend picked this out to read out of the dozens of books that I have untouched on my bookcase. What I think I found most interesting in the book though, was that the Germans had no clue what-so-ever that we were deceiving them and that the German Intelligence Service was, unusually for them, completely inept and some heads and handlers didn't care if their agents were under British control. And that even after the end of the war, they had no idea that we had made up the reports of further invasions coming soon after D-Day in the Pas de Calais, and that they truly believed that there were dozens of regiments and divisions on stand by to attack them.
I will be looking out for more Joshua Levine, only next time, I hope that the title will be more accurate and that what is written in the book, focuses more on that, than on events that lead up to why I buy the book...
However, the book is very good. It's very engaging, and reads very well, it's not a 'heavy' history book and the writing style is very easy to get in to. History books can be very hit or miss depending on how well (or badly) they have been written, but this is written extremely well.
I will admit that I am disappointed that the book wasn't about the whole of "Operation Fortitude" as I was hoping to read about the inflatable tanks and the physical deception of how we made fake armies and armoured divisions in the south of England to fool German reconnaissance in to thinking we were attacking other areas of France too. There were only a few pages on this and if I am honest, that was what I wanted to read about most and was disappointed with the lack of words and pages devoted to this.
I was also disappointed that the first almost 200 pages were about how the "Double Cross" agents were 'collected' and how they turned German agents in to British agents. Whilst I found it interesting, I did find it a bit tedious after a while and thought that this could maybe have taken only 3 or 4 chapters, and not 200 pages. There was too much history on how "Double Cross" started too, again multiple chapters that should possibly have only had a couple at the most so the majority of the book could have been focused on "Fortitude" and included more about the physical deception that was played out.
It seems like I have more complaints about the book than I have positives, which I possibly do, but that doesn't change the fact that I really did enjoy the book despite the negatives, and I found it a very interesting read and am thankful that my friend picked this out to read out of the dozens of books that I have untouched on my bookcase. What I think I found most interesting in the book though, was that the Germans had no clue what-so-ever that we were deceiving them and that the German Intelligence Service was, unusually for them, completely inept and some heads and handlers didn't care if their agents were under British control. And that even after the end of the war, they had no idea that we had made up the reports of further invasions coming soon after D-Day in the Pas de Calais, and that they truly believed that there were dozens of regiments and divisions on stand by to attack them.
I will be looking out for more Joshua Levine, only next time, I hope that the title will be more accurate and that what is written in the book, focuses more on that, than on events that lead up to why I buy the book...
September 28, 2014
A very readable and engaging retelling of the story of the British run espionage network known as the Double-Cross system.
Much if not all of the story has been told before as it emerged in the 1970s and 80's (and in parts earlier). Many operations are mentioned only briefly, such as Operation Mincemeat, subject of several books, but given only a couple of pages here. This then is a 'popular history' concentrating on telling the story in an engaging and entertaining manner.
The heart of the book concerns Operation Fortitude South, which aimed to convince the German High Command that the Anglo-American-Canadian invasion of Europe would be in the Pas de Calais - largely through allowing German intelligence to 'discover' a much inflated order-of-battle for the Allied forces and persuading them that much of that force was situated across the channel from Calais and ready to strike the German forces engaged in Normandy in the rear. The purpose of this was to fix powerful German forces in the Pas-de-Calais, away from the real invasion.
The agent who comes out of the book as having the most success is Spaniard, Juan Pujo Garcia, more commonly known as ‘Garbo’, who was thought by the Germans to be their best spy in Britain and to have a huge network of informers, but was in reality a double-agent working under British control (see http://graemeshimmin.com/double-cross...) for an overview of that case.
As a 'popular history' Operation Fortitude's human interest stories and readability are in contrast to more in-depth, but drier, history books such as The Defence of the Realm The Authorized History of MI5.
The author retains a certain amount of scepticism about the Double-Cross system, pointing out failures, such as Operation Fortitude North (which created a fictitious threat to Norway that went almost unnoticed by Germany) and the human costs for the many agents 'burnt' or even killed, but concludes that the core Fortitude South operation was a success and in fact remained undetected by the Germans even after the war's conclusion.
In summary: a very readable overview of the Double-Cross system in general and Operation Fortitude in particular, with enough information for the casual reader and pointers for those seeking more in depth information.
Much if not all of the story has been told before as it emerged in the 1970s and 80's (and in parts earlier). Many operations are mentioned only briefly, such as Operation Mincemeat, subject of several books, but given only a couple of pages here. This then is a 'popular history' concentrating on telling the story in an engaging and entertaining manner.
The heart of the book concerns Operation Fortitude South, which aimed to convince the German High Command that the Anglo-American-Canadian invasion of Europe would be in the Pas de Calais - largely through allowing German intelligence to 'discover' a much inflated order-of-battle for the Allied forces and persuading them that much of that force was situated across the channel from Calais and ready to strike the German forces engaged in Normandy in the rear. The purpose of this was to fix powerful German forces in the Pas-de-Calais, away from the real invasion.
The agent who comes out of the book as having the most success is Spaniard, Juan Pujo Garcia, more commonly known as ‘Garbo’, who was thought by the Germans to be their best spy in Britain and to have a huge network of informers, but was in reality a double-agent working under British control (see http://graemeshimmin.com/double-cross...) for an overview of that case.
As a 'popular history' Operation Fortitude's human interest stories and readability are in contrast to more in-depth, but drier, history books such as The Defence of the Realm The Authorized History of MI5.
The author retains a certain amount of scepticism about the Double-Cross system, pointing out failures, such as Operation Fortitude North (which created a fictitious threat to Norway that went almost unnoticed by Germany) and the human costs for the many agents 'burnt' or even killed, but concludes that the core Fortitude South operation was a success and in fact remained undetected by the Germans even after the war's conclusion.
In summary: a very readable overview of the Double-Cross system in general and Operation Fortitude in particular, with enough information for the casual reader and pointers for those seeking more in depth information.
September 7, 2012
The history of WW2 is littered with so many amazing stories it is hard to know which one to read next. Luckily this choice was made for me by my mother-in-law as a birthday present.
While i had heard and read a little about Operation Fortitude and the deception efforts while reading other books I had never gone into any depth.
This book takes you through the early stages of the start of the deception strategies through the first use of them in different theatres during the war and finishing with the running of the full operation Fortitude deceptions that backed up the D-Day landings.
The main item I enjoyed in this book was to get to know the people behind the scenes of the deception strategies and the difficulties and risks that they took to achieve the goals.
While we will never exactly know whether the deceptions actually made real difference to the outcome of D-Day, i personally think that it did force Hitlers and Rommels hands in keeping a number of battalions away from the main battlefields and saved many, many lives during the first days and weeks of the landings.
Recommended if you have read the main books on WW2 and the main campaign elements and want to broaden your understanding of WW2 and other elements that contributed to the overall allied victory.
While i had heard and read a little about Operation Fortitude and the deception efforts while reading other books I had never gone into any depth.
This book takes you through the early stages of the start of the deception strategies through the first use of them in different theatres during the war and finishing with the running of the full operation Fortitude deceptions that backed up the D-Day landings.
The main item I enjoyed in this book was to get to know the people behind the scenes of the deception strategies and the difficulties and risks that they took to achieve the goals.
While we will never exactly know whether the deceptions actually made real difference to the outcome of D-Day, i personally think that it did force Hitlers and Rommels hands in keeping a number of battalions away from the main battlefields and saved many, many lives during the first days and weeks of the landings.
Recommended if you have read the main books on WW2 and the main campaign elements and want to broaden your understanding of WW2 and other elements that contributed to the overall allied victory.
February 7, 2016
This book adds some pieces to the jigsaw of events that make up the Second World War. It covers the double cross system in detail, and explains its origins. The character sketches are an enjoyable aspect of this account of Op Fortitude. However, it has a few notable weaknesses. It is big on strategy, but provides little of substance regarding tactical outcomes. I guess there are some operational details that are considered too secret to disclose even now..
December 1, 2015
I agree with Ann (prior review) that the book is a general overview book and not "particularly memorable." There are no end notes and I didn't see any seminal research. It seems to be short summaries of other books.
July 11, 2012
Really enjoyed this and found it quite fascinating and almost unbelievable too. We'll worth reading.
August 27, 2013
A very clear and detailed account of some fascinating, rarely told events that may or may not have helped steer the course of WW2
January 24, 2016
A fascinating look at the mysterious world of double agents, and how these strange characters did their bit to win the Invasion of Normandy.
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews