Anglo-French intelligence liaison, 1909-1940

It seeks to illuminate relations between Britain and France in this turbulent period and to consider the processes and outcomes of intelligence cooperation between sovereign states as a phenomenon. A theoretical framework for intelligence liaison is used to examine examples derived from the Anglo-French case over this thirty-year period, How intelligence liaison functioned and what benefits and drawbacks participation in liaison brought to the British and French are highlighted, During the three decades addressed in this thesis, Anglo-French relations were ambiguous: allied twice in the period, the two countries were also rivals.

The contradictory nature of Anglo-French relations provided the context for intelligence cooperation, which functioned during peacetime mostly at a micro-level through professional individuals. During war, liaison was heightened, and formal mechanisms for cooperation were employed. Liaison occurred over political, operational and technical intelligence.