The Secret War

Spies, Ciphers, and Guerrillas, 1939-1945

By: Max Hastings

Narrated by: Steven Crossley

From one of the foremost historians of the period and the acclaimed author of Inferno and Catastrophe: 1914, The Secret War is a sweeping examination of one of the most important yet underexplored aspects of World War II—intelligence—showing how espionage successes and failures by the United States, Britain, Russia, Germany, and Japan influenced the course of the war and its final outcome.

Spies, codes, and guerrillas played unprecedentedly critical roles in the Second World War, exploited by every nation in the struggle to gain secret knowledge of its foes, and to sow havoc behind the fronts. In The Secret War, Max Hastings presents a worldwide cast of characters and some extraordinary sagas of intelligence and resistance, to create a new perspective on the greatest conflict in history.

a very comprehensive history of secret warfare.

a bit long but a good narration. Tons of stories about every angle of WWII.

Narrator bland English.

Narrator gives condescending English tone, next time select a woman narrator, preferably with a Scottish, welsh or Irish accent.

Enjoyable, informative with lots of information

Here is what one person wrote,

"Simply a joy from beginning to end. Entertaining, broad, deep, and filled with anecdotes and personal fates and stories.Pretty much a complete story on the subject."

I couldn't agree more. The narrator has a British accent which I think fits well with the telling of the tales. I've my share of reading on the subject and this book covers stories that I know about along with new insights into the would of espionage.

And I didn't find it tedious at all.

Very thorough if somewhat lengthly.

This work is excellent on all accounts although a bit long but the information provided is worth the effort.

Good information

Max Hastings does a great job of taking you from the upper levels of operations to the individual in the action. Well done