Join us for the KCSI Seminar with Clément Renault who will discuss French intelligence contribution to Britain's WWII successes
About this event
Description
This presentation delves into a greatly overlooked facet of World War II British intelligence historiography: the contribution of French intelligence to the British war effort. While British intelligence operations during the war have been extensively documented, the role played by their French counterparts remains largely unexamined. Drawing on a rich array of British and French archival sources, this presentation will explore the collaborative intelligence efforts between British intelligence and the two distinct French intelligence organisations: the Bureau Central de Renseignement et d’Action (BCRA) of the Free French on one side, and the secret services of the Vichy Regime on the other. This multifaceted cooperation formed the backbone of the critical role played by the French in collecting and disseminating intelligence vital to Britain's strategic decisions. By offering an innovative outlook on WW2 British intelligence, this presentation will contribute to rectify the oversight in the existing historiography and to shed light on the importance of intelligence cooperation beyond the Anglo-American special relationship.
Speaker's biography
Clément Renault is a Ph.D Candidate in War Studies at the University of Glasgow and a research associate at the French Institute for Strategic Research (IRSEM). He is also visiting fellow at King’s College London and a member of the Royal Historical Society. Clément currently teaches at Sciences Po Paris.