The Man Who Never Was, first published in 1954, is a fascinating account of the ingenious Second World War counter-intelligence plot by the British Intelligence service known as "Operation Mincemeat." The goal of the operation, which took place in 1943, was to mislead the Germans as to where the next Allied landing in the Mediterranean would occur. Operation Mincemeat, because of its thorough planning and careful execution, successfully misled the Germans into a belief that the landings would occur in Greece, rather than in ...
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The Man Who Never Was, first published in 1954, is a fascinating account of the ingenious Second World War counter-intelligence plot by the British Intelligence service known as "Operation Mincemeat." The goal of the operation, which took place in 1943, was to mislead the Germans as to where the next Allied landing in the Mediterranean would occur. Operation Mincemeat, because of its thorough planning and careful execution, successfully misled the Germans into a belief that the landings would occur in Greece, rather than in Sicily-the true invasion target. As a result, a number of German forces were removed from Sicily to prepare for the believed location of the Allied invasion. To carry out the ruse, Operation Mincemeat used a dead body, dressed as a Royal Marine officer, and carrying false information about the supposed upcoming Allied invasion of Greece. The body would, according to the plan, wash up on a beach in Spain near the town of a known Nazi agent. The body was discovered as planned, the officer's documents examined and verified by German intelligence, and action was taken. By any measure, the Allied operation was a success, and likely saved many lives. Even two weeks into the invasion of Sicily, German leaders still believed that the main attack would be in Greece."The Man Who Never Was" remains a classic book of a World War Two intelligence operation. Included are 25 pages of photographs and diagrams.
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These were desperate times during WWII. Operations in Africa were just beginning to turn in favor of the British forces. The allied forces needed some good fortune before the ensuing invasion of France, ?Operation Overlord?. Some how some way a situation is needed to draw forces away from the coast of Normandy. A plan was conceived and it was called ?Operation Mincemeat?. This is a true story. The author, Ewen Montagu, was the main instigator of the plan. The style of Montagu allows the plot to slowly unfold while adhering to the main facts. There are times when you will see the raw emotions of all of the characters in the team revealed. This can be seen in both men and women assigned to the task and will range from elation to doubt to sadness. There will be times when the team struggles with the morale issues that face them in carrying out the details of the operation. But it is the overall good that will come if the operation is successful. Its knowing that success is possible. This drives the team to complete all the necessary tasks and every detail is flawless to ensure the operation?s success while pushing the envelope of human ingenuity. Included in the book are documentary and photographic evidence of the German?s reaction to ?Operation Mincemeat?. For those who find history boring, this book will be the exception. Montagu allows the story to unfold like a mystery. It will keep the reader dangling with suspense as to how the plot and all of the subplots are revealed.
