The Library has been given trial access to the British Online Archives (BOA) collection Secrecy, sabotage, and aiding the resistance: how Anglo-American co-operation shaped World War Two. Giving you unique insight into US-UK diplomacy, intelligence sharing, and sabotage operations in enemy territory from 1939-1954.
You can access this online resource via the E-resources trials page.
Access is available both on and off-campus.
Trial access ends 9th May 2018.
When the British and American security services went to war together, their targets included morale, supplies and governments. Sabotage training and supplying rebels in occupied countries weakened the enemy. Friends were found in Italy and hostile groups in America. The American Office of Strategic Services (OSS) and British Special Operations Executive (SOE) would also deliberately keep some information from each other. When they did work together, companies in hostile countries were blacklisted and their covert Jedburgh units supported allied rebels around the world.
Screenshot from British security services’ activities in the USA, 1940-1945 (Secrecy, sabotage, and aiding the resistance, British Online Archives)
Secrecy, sabotage, and aiding the resistance contains 11 volumes worth of primary source material, with most of this material being sourced from The National Archives. The 11 volumes covered are:
- Anglo-American joint projects, 1940-1954
- British security services’ activities in the USA, 1940-1945
- US and British security services’ operations in Europe, 1940-1945
- Anglo-American operations in China and the South East Asia Command, 1940-1946
- Britain and the US in India, 1940-1946
- Britain and the US in the Middle East, 1941-1945
- Britain and the US in South and Central America, 1940-1946
- Britain and the US in the Far East (excluding China), 1940-1946
- Britain and the US in Africa, 1942-1944
- Britain and the US in Scandinavia and the Balkans, 1942-1945
- Ministry of Economic Warfare and economic intelligence, 1939-1945
Access Secrecy, sabotage, and aiding the resistance via e-resources trials.
Access available until 9th May 2018.
Feedback welcome.
You can access all the digital primary source collections already available at the Library via the Primary Source databases list.
Access is only available to current students and staff at University of Edinburgh.
Caroline Stirling – Academic Support Librarian for History, Classics and Archaeology