The Spies of Winter: The GCHQ codebreakers who fought the Cold War

McKay, Sinclair

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1781312982 ISBN 13: 9781781312988

Publisher: Aurum Press Ltd, 2017

In 1945 the Second World War was over and a shattered world faced the future. For the men and women of the newly formed GCHQ, however, the next global conflict had already begun. Following on from the enormous success of his bestseller, The Secret Life of Bletchley Park, renowned author Sinclair McKay uncovers the story of what happened after the end of the Second World WarOnce victory was declared, many of the individuals who had achieved the seemingly impossible at Bletchley Park by cracking the impenetrable Enigma codes and giving the Allies an invaluable insight directly into the Nazi war machine, moved on to GCHQ., This was the British government's new facility established to fight a different, but no less formidable foe - Stalin and the KGB.Fascinating and insightful revelations from deep within the archives of this secret organisation reveal the story of the tumultuous early years of GCHQ as it navigated its way through an era of double agents, deception and betrayals. From the defection of the Cambridge Five and the treachery of the atomic scientist Klaus Fuchs, to the collapse of the British Empire, the ascension of Chairman Mao and the emergence of the US as a superpower, McKay deftly explores the impact these events had on the fledgling organisation.During the years of the Cold War the men and women of GCHQ penetrated Soviet encryptions and gathered crucial intelligence from all over the world. The Spies of Winter tells the story of the codebreakers themselves and how they used new technology to expand the horizons of cryptography in order to defend the nation and maintain the fragile peace in a world now under the shadow of nuclear holocaust.

Review:

'It is a neglected period in popular history and McKay does well to bring it to life...a readable canter over the ground for anyone unfamiliar with one of the important ways in which the second world war shaped -- and continues to shape -- our modern world' - The Spectator

'As he has proved before, Sinclair McKay has no peers when it comes to the history of Bletchley Park - and its aftermath. Lucid, well-researched and rich in detail, The Spies of Winter is a valuable addition to the genre.' - Daily Mail

About the Author:

SINCLAIR MCKAY is the bestselling author of The Secret Life of Bletchley Park, The Lost World of Bletchley Park, The Secret Life of Fighter Command and The Secret Listeners for Aurum, as well as histories of Hammer films, the James Bond films and the pastime of rambling. He lives in London.