Episode 3

Overview

Sabotage meant blowing up trains, bridges and factories whilst subversion meant fostering revolt or guerrilla warfare in all enemy and enemy-occupied countries. By D-Day on 6 June, 1944 SOE had become a feared organisation that could strike the enemy anytime, anywhere. Agent networks now stretched across Occupied Europe, linked to an army of resistance fighters. When the Allies landed, SOE struck with venom. In May 1945 General Eisenhower wrote that 'the disruption of enemy rail communications, the harassing of German road moves and the continual and increasing strain placed on German security services throughout occupied Europe by the organised forces of Resistance, played a very considerable part in our complete and final victory.' With no war to fight, SOE survived until January 1946 before being disbanded forever.