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The Cambridge Five: A Captivating Guide to the Russian Spies in Britain Who Passed Information to the Soviet Union During World War II
If you want to discover the captivating history of the Cambridge Five, then keep reading...
During the poverty-stricken years of the Great Depression, when Britain’s financial markets plummeted and the poor and wealthy alike doubted the economic systems in which they participated, the potential of one political ideal shone like no Communism. Young intellectuals from the country’s very best schools discussed the premise of labor-value versus wealth-value, and a great many of them became card-carrying members of the Communist Party in Britain.
It was exactly the kind of hunting ground the Soviet Union needed to recruit high-level agents to their cause. Over the course of the early 1930s, five students of Cambridge University were handpicked by Soviet agents and instructed to use their status as educated members of the British elite to serve the U.S.S.R.
Anthony Blunt, Guy Burgess, Donald Maclean, Kim Philby, and John Cairncross accepted the offer and in doing so changed the course of WWII and the Cold War. Their actions were not discovered until the 1950s, long after the war was finished and the damage—or achievements, depending which side you were on—had already been done.
In The Cambridge A Captivating Guide to the Russian Spies in Britain Who Passed Information to the Soviet Union During World War II , you will discover topics such as
So if you want to learn more about the Cambridge Five, scroll up and click the "add to cart" button!
During the poverty-stricken years of the Great Depression, when Britain’s financial markets plummeted and the poor and wealthy alike doubted the economic systems in which they participated, the potential of one political ideal shone like no Communism. Young intellectuals from the country’s very best schools discussed the premise of labor-value versus wealth-value, and a great many of them became card-carrying members of the Communist Party in Britain.
It was exactly the kind of hunting ground the Soviet Union needed to recruit high-level agents to their cause. Over the course of the early 1930s, five students of Cambridge University were handpicked by Soviet agents and instructed to use their status as educated members of the British elite to serve the U.S.S.R.
Anthony Blunt, Guy Burgess, Donald Maclean, Kim Philby, and John Cairncross accepted the offer and in doing so changed the course of WWII and the Cold War. Their actions were not discovered until the 1950s, long after the war was finished and the damage—or achievements, depending which side you were on—had already been done.
In The Cambridge A Captivating Guide to the Russian Spies in Britain Who Passed Information to the Soviet Union During World War II , you will discover topics such as
So if you want to learn more about the Cambridge Five, scroll up and click the "add to cart" button!
56 pages, Paperback
Published February 22, 2019
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116 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
March 1, 2019
A wealth of information
I loved this book, I had no prior knowledge of the Cambridge five. I liked the way the book looked at the impact that their spying had at the micro and macro level. It not only discusses their work but also other spying organizations and their accomplishments. Though I have read about Alan Turing and his work, I found new information that I had not read anywhere else. The book is well researched and contains a wealth of information within a short space. It is also easy to read and kept me interested, of course I read it in one sitting. One thing I like about this series is that they can be read just before going to bed and in a short time you have improved your knowledge on a specific topic. Lastly, they are good introduction to many topics in history.
I loved this book, I had no prior knowledge of the Cambridge five. I liked the way the book looked at the impact that their spying had at the micro and macro level. It not only discusses their work but also other spying organizations and their accomplishments. Though I have read about Alan Turing and his work, I found new information that I had not read anywhere else. The book is well researched and contains a wealth of information within a short space. It is also easy to read and kept me interested, of course I read it in one sitting. One thing I like about this series is that they can be read just before going to bed and in a short time you have improved your knowledge on a specific topic. Lastly, they are good introduction to many topics in history.
June 9, 2019
Good with minor issues
This book is fairly good, but at one point in the text there's something about the CIA in 1944. The correct reference would have been the OSS, presumably. I got this book as a freebie. Hard to believe there aren't public domain pictures of the Cambridge Five that could have been included.
This book is fairly good, but at one point in the text there's something about the CIA in 1944. The correct reference would have been the OSS, presumably. I got this book as a freebie. Hard to believe there aren't public domain pictures of the Cambridge Five that could have been included.
April 23, 2020
Very interesting. I can't imagine selling out my country to the USSR, but they were not the only ones. I lived through the worst of the cold war and was taught that Russia was the enemy. Communism, socialist and Marxism sound good on paper,but look at Venezuela and you can see just how bad it is in real time.
June 22, 2024
Very informative but lacking in human interest. The narrative marched through the particulars of the five men’s positions and access to sensitive material, but there was no real insight into what they wished to accomplish other than promoting the communist agenda. There’s a brief mention that four of the five likely regretted their service to Stalin, especially once the scope of his crimes against his own people were revealed.
Historically accurate but a dry read.
Historically accurate but a dry read.
April 30, 2019
A part of history Great Britain would like to forget, but shouldn't!
One of the five double agents was too close to Queen Elizabeth II. This is a sad reminder that even if we heavily vet people, we still miss a few things. Overall, I was quite pleased with the research!
One of the five double agents was too close to Queen Elizabeth II. This is a sad reminder that even if we heavily vet people, we still miss a few things. Overall, I was quite pleased with the research!
February 27, 2022
The Cambridge Five is a 4
I'm not sure "captivating" would be my choice of adjectives. Interesting but dry as a bone. More a listing of facts than a compelling story. Worth a read, I guess. I was left with a feeling that it could have been better.
I'm not sure "captivating" would be my choice of adjectives. Interesting but dry as a bone. More a listing of facts than a compelling story. Worth a read, I guess. I was left with a feeling that it could have been better.
May 22, 2022
A broad sweep of the characters and the lives of this 'Famous Five'.
If you have a little knowledge of these people it is worth a read. Unfortunately, in the main, I feel, it is packed with attempts to excuse and justify their treachery: lame excuses.
If you have a little knowledge of these people it is worth a read. Unfortunately, in the main, I feel, it is packed with attempts to excuse and justify their treachery: lame excuses.
January 31, 2020
Spies
Nice simple review and explanation of these particular individuals and probable reasons for their espionage actions in this time period.
Nice simple review and explanation of these particular individuals and probable reasons for their espionage actions in this time period.
October 25, 2019
Clear and concise espionage primer. Covers the highlights of The Cambridge Five's disloyalty to the Allies.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews