British Counter-Intelligence Did British Counter-Intelligence Essay

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Earlier in this paper it was revealed that a small unit within the Security Service was originally doing the work; but soon the espionage unit had grown to more than 1,400. On page 848 Major Vernon Kell began -- what later became an out-of-control behemoth organization -- with just "a room, a desk and a filing cabinet"; when Kell asked for a clerk to assist him, the bureaucracy was surprised that "…such extravagance was necessary" (Hiley, 848).

This juxtaposition is by way of explaining how, as the fear of the Germans expanded, and as the list of suspected spies grew enormously huge, and paranoia became so powerful that peace groups and labor groups came under suspicion, civil liberties were shoved aside. On page 853 Hiley notes that prior to October 1911, in order to open a letter that was passing through the Royal Mails, a warrant had to be signed by authorities. However, once legislation had passed, as reported earlier in this paper, thousands upon thousands of letters through the Royal Mails were being opened.

All along, Kell was convinced that there was a "…hostile organization" that had taken hold in the eastern and southern counties of Britain; he was sure the spies and other agents of the German government were there in advance of "…the invading forces" and to help those forces' invasion by "destroying bridges and communications" (Hiley, 855). But the invasion never came but Kell did arrest men suspected of spying albeit "no evidence was offered," and he arrested "…any unemployed aliens" who might later cause trouble.

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In conclusion, on page 860 Hiley writes that "Kell was completely and ludicrously wrong in his assessment of the threat from enemy aliens," but he did manage to gain personal status. The lessons of war can always be viewed critically in hindsight, and in fact war creates a sense of fear from the unknown that makes ordinary men do ridiculous things. But like the American government's decree that all Japanese-Americans on the West Coast would be moved to internment camps (fearing their complicity with Japan after Pearl Harbor), the British were just as sure citizens of German descent would become enemies prior to and during WWI. The way to avoid these….....

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"British Counter-Intelligence Did British Counter-Intelligence" (2012, August 31) Retrieved June 29, 2025, from
https://www.aceyourpaper.com/essays/british-counter-intelligence-british-counter-intelligence-75350

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"British Counter-Intelligence Did British Counter-Intelligence" 31 August 2012. Web.29 June. 2025. <
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"British Counter-Intelligence Did British Counter-Intelligence", 31 August 2012, Accessed.29 June. 2025,
https://www.aceyourpaper.com/essays/british-counter-intelligence-british-counter-intelligence-75350
   

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