During World War II, training in the black arts of covert operation was vital preparation for the âungentlemanly warfareâ waged by the Special Operations Executive (SOE) against Hitlerâs Germany and Tojoâs Japan. In the early years of the war, the SOE set up top secret training schools to instruct prospective agents in the art of being a spy. Soon there was an international network of schools in operation in secluded locations ranging from the Scottish Highlands to Singapore and Canada.
Reproduced here is one of the most comprehensive training syllabi used at SOEâs Special Training Schools (STSs) instructing agents on how to wreak maximum havoc in occupied Europe and beyond. A staggering array of unconventional skills are coveredâfrom burglary, close combat, and silent killing, to utilizing propaganda, surveillance, and disguiseâgiving an unprecedented insight into the workings of one of WWIIâs most intriguing organizations.
These files, released from the British National Archive, put covert history in readersâ hands. Uncover an exciting, little-known part of WWII history and delve into the inner workings of a real spy network.
Skyhorse Publishing, as well as our Arcade imprint, are proud to publish a broad range of books for readers interested in history--books about World War II, the Third Reich, Hitler and his henchmen, the JFK assassination, conspiracies, the American Civil War, the American Revolution, gladiators, Vikings, ancient Rome, medieval times, the old West, and much more. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.