Lesser-known stories of the Special Operations Executive

By May 1940, the German war machine had stormed across Europe and Britain was on her knees. One of the few ways to fight back was to undermine Nazi occupation. Winston Churchill, an enthusiast for irregular warfare, ordered the formation of the Special Operations Executive (SOE). Its courageous men and women risked their lives to support, train, lead and equip resistance movements in Europe, Africa and Asia. This course will examine SOE’s military, political and ethical challenges, primarily through the stories of some of its lesser-known undercover agents.