The Origins of SOE, 1939–1940

Abstract

Even before the outbreak of war in September 1939 Britain had established secret agencies to conduct clandestine operations in Europe going beyond the scope of mere intelligence gathering. Their job was to carry out various forms of subversion and propaganda. It was only in July 1940, however, that these activities were brought under the control of one central organisation, the Special Operations Executive (SOE). What did the British expect these subversive organisations to achieve and why, in July 1940, did they create a new organisation to control clandestine activities? What does this tell us about British expectations of European resistance to Nazism and the potentialities of SOE? This chapter, in describing the origins of SOE, will suggest answers to these questions. To begin with, something needs to be said about the assumptions underlying British strategic thinking on the eve of the Second World War.