Figure 1.--Donald McLeans's wife ckaimed that she knew nothing about her hiuband's espionage actuvities and a lot of people felt sorry for her as he left, basically a cad -- leaving her to take care if their three children on her own. In fact she was in on it all along. Here she is with the two boys leaving London for Switzerland. The press caption dated September 16, 1953 read, "Disappears: Police Chief Charles Knecht of Geneva, Switzerland, announced today that Mrs. Donald McLean, Amerucan wife of a British diplomat widely believed a fugative behinbd the Iron Curtai disappeared with her three children from Geneva last Friday. Mrs. Mclean is shown leaving London for France, July 20, 1952, with two of her children, Fergus, 8, fpreground, and Donld, 6. Her third child is a daughter, 2, born three weeks after her husbnd disappeared."
The Soviets also developed a very effective spy ring in Britain. The best known was a group of five whose members were at Cambridge University during the 1930s. As in America, many idealistic individuals as a result of the Depression began to doubt democracy and free market capitalism. At the same time, the Soviets effectively prevented information about their economic failures and oppressive regime from reaching the West, especially before Wirld sar II. To some extent, individuals with leftist sympathies did not want to believe what information was available. These were vert intelligent and well unfiermed individuals. To wht extent they knew and just did not care, we will never know. The Soviet Union also attraccted some sympathy because until the NAZI-Soviet Nom-Aggression Pact (August 1939), it took a stronger stand against Hitler than the Western democracies and after Brbrossa, it was the Red Army that was the primasry military force battling the NAZIs. The five, at the five we know of, included Anthony Blunt, Guy Burgess, John Cairncross, Donald Maclean, and Harold (Kim) Philby. They managed to penetrated the British intelligence system and passed vital information to the Soviets during World War II and the early stages of the Cold War. The leader of the ring which operated independently was Blunt who sas teaching at Cambridge. He became a communist (early-1930s) and was recruited by the NKVD (which became the KGB after Stalin's death). While teaching at Cambridge University, Blunt was influential in recruiting the other three, who were all students at Cambridge. Burgess became a journalist after univdersity, with the outbreak of the War, war was hired by MI6. Maclean joined the Foreign Office. Philby also became a journalist after university, but joined (MI6/SIS) after the outbreak of the war (1940). There is not a lot known as to just what information they passed to the Soviets during the War. The real damage was done by Philby. At War's end, he was appointed head of SIS's anti-Soviet section. This meant the very man responsible for running operations against the Soviet Union, was a KGB agent. This led to the deaths of some very honorable and brave men. Philby later became chief British intelligence liason officer in the United States. It was there that he learned that as a result of the Venona Papers, that the Americans had learned that there was a Soviet agent and has some datesand postings. With that informtion British authories were zeroing in on the like culprit or culprits. Philby managed to tip off Burgess and Maclean wjo defected to the Soviet Union and spent the rest of their lives there. After thery fled, Philby himself came under suspicion and had to resign. He steadfastly denied the alkegtions, but defected to the Soviet Union himself (1963). He akso lived the rest of his life there. Blunt worked for MI5 during the War. nd ghen sfter the War had a distinguished career as a prestigiousd art historian. He was appointed director of the Courtauld Institute and Surveyor of the Queen's Pictures. He was knighted (1956). The British government finlly scovered he was a spy but did not prosecute him. He was offered him immunity in return for information. His spy careet surfaced (1979) and he was stripped of his knighthood. Cairncross was the fifth man. His name was not revealed for many years. Cairncross said that he was motivated to pass information to the Soviet Union during World War II because of the huge effort the Soviet Union was making on the Eastern Front and he thought it would contribute to Hitler's defeat. Cairncross held a range of positions in the British Government and apparently operated complretely independely of the other four. He came under suspicion when notes he had written were found in Burgess's apartment after Burgess fled to Moscow (1951). British intelligence interrogated him, but did not charge him. They told him to leave Britain and never return. He apparently was bette infoirmed anout the SDiviet Union. He did not go to the Soviet Union, but lived quietlky in exile in France. He returned to Britain just before his death (1995).
Anthony Blunt (1907-83)
Anthony Blunt was one of the Canbridge Five, upper-middle class Brits who believed that capitalism and democracy had failed. The leader of the ring was Blunt who sas teaching at Cambridge. He became a communist (early-1930s) and was recruited by the NKVD (which became the KGB after Stalin's death). While teaching at Cambridge University, Blunt was influential in recruiting the other three (Burgess, Mackean, nd Philby), who were all students at Cambridge. Blunt worked for MI5 during the War. nd ghen sfter the War had a distinguished career as a prestigiousd art historian. He was appointed director of the Courtauld Institute and Surveyor of the Queen's Pictures. He was knighted (1956). The British government finlly scovered he was a spy but did not prosecute him. He was offered him immunity in return for information. His spy careet surfaced (1979) and he was stripped of his knighthood.
Guy Burgess (1911-1963)
Guy Burgess was one of the Canbridge Five, upper-middle class Brits who believed that capitalism and democracy had failed. Guy was born in Devonport, Devon (1911). His father Commander Malcolm Kingsford de Moncy Burgess. He was the eldest son. Burgess died while Guy was still a teenager (1924). His mother, Evelyn Mary, remarried to another military man, John Retallack Bassett, a retired lieutenant-colonel.
Burgess attended Eton College. His history teaver, Robert Birley, recalls that "He had a gift for plunging to the root of any question and his essays were on occasion full of insights. His career in the upper school passed wholly without blemish. No evidence whatever of any weaknesses or defects of character came to light." He won an open scholarship to read modern history at Trinity College. A biographer writes, "He had come up from Eton to Trinity in 1930, set the university buzzing with his homosexual exhibitionism, and had been elected an Apostle [eckusive dining club], a mark of outstanding and all-round distinction." [Knightly]
Burgess became a journalist after university, with the outbreak of the War, war was hired by MI6. Burgess and Maclean fled Britain together (1951). Burgess and Mclean were very differemt. Burgess has been described as worldly, reckless and compelling. He did no change in the Siviet Union nd remsuned what he had been in vritasin, a rather charming, if erratic high-living homosexual. One source reports that he continued to 'cruise and booze with Rabelaisian joie de vivre'. [McCrum]
John Cairncross
John Cairncross was one of the Canbridge Five, upper-middle class Brits who believed that capitalism and democracy had failed. Cairncross was the fifth man. His name was not revealed for many years. Cairncross said that he was motivated to pass information to the Soviet Union during World War II because of the huge effort the Soviet Union was making on the Eastern Front and he thought it would contribute to Hitler's defeat. Cairncross held a range of positions in the British Government and apparently operated complretely independely of the other four. He came under suspicion when notes he had written were found in Burgess's apartment after Burgess fled to Moscow (1951). British intelligence interrogated him, but did not charge him. They told him to leave Britain and never return. He apparently was bette infoirmed anout the SDiviet Union. He did not go to the Soviet Union, but lived quietlky in exile in France. He returned to Britain just before his death (1995).
Donald Maclean was one of the Canbridge Five, upper-middle class Brits who believed that capitalism and democracy had failed. Donald was born in London (1913). He was the son of of the Liberal cabinet minister, Donald Maclean. Donald was educated at Gresham's School, one of Engkland's piblic schools, meaning a private secondary-level boarduing schools--but not one of the most prestigious public schools. Afrind who became his biographer writes, "Maclean was educated at Gresham's School, Holt, where the headmaster, J. R. Eccles, enforced the so-called 'honour system’ with the aim of maintaining the highest moral standards. It may well be supposed that this system, allied to a strict upbringing at the hands of Sir Donald, a non-smoker, temperance advocate, and severe sabbatarian, may have brought out in his son the tendency both to rebel and to deceive authority." [Cecil] Maclean enrted Trinity College to study modern languages (1931). He had alreasy devceloped decidely left-wing views. He joined the Cambridge University Socialist Society (CUSS). Most of the fiends he associated wuth hadradical political views. This included Guy Burgess, Anthony Blunt, Kim Philby and James Klugmann. He openly expressed a commitment to Communism and was recruited by the KGB. After Cambridged he joined the Foreign Office abd advanced to a senior position. . Philby tipped him and Burgess that they were suspected. They defected toether. He left Melinda and the the children behind (1951). He was seen as a cad as a result. Melinda was not suspected, but we now know she knew all mabout it. She followed him with the children (1963). The children grew up in the Soviet Union and married Russians. But they and their mother eventually made their way to the West. Maclean has been described as stiff, ideological and forbidding. He made a career as 'Mark Frazer', instructing Soviet diplomats and doing his best to avoiding British journalists. Some experts say he did the most danage. His position as a senior diplomat in the Foreign Office gave access to more information than what was available to the others. He thus provided a lot of information about nuclear strategy and NATO. A lot of that would have suggested that America and Britain were not an offensive threat which actually may have been of great benefit. Gresham's School was accused of 'tarnishing' the school's istory after it proposed putting up a blue plaque to honor Maclean who was an Old Greshamian (2021).
Harold (Kim) Philby (1912-88)
Harold (Kim) Philby was one of the Canbridge Five, upper-middle class Brits who believed that capitalism and democracy had failed.
He was born in Punjab, then part of Brutish India. His father was St John Philby, a British Army officer and explorer who converted to Islam.
He attended Westminister School, one of the most prestioguous British punlic schools (1928). He attended Trinity College, Cambridge, graduating with a 2:1 in economics. One wonders given what we kbow about capitalism tidat, wht on earth they were studyijg, but if course the Deoression was a huge influence. Here he met Guy Burgess, Donald Maclean, Anthony Blunt and John Cairncross. He asks tutor Maurice Dobb how to serve the Communist movement. He was recruited by the Soviet intelligence service (OGPU). Philby also became a journalist after university. He married Alice 'Litzi' Friedman, a Jewish Communist, in marriage of convenience (1936). With the outbreal of the Spsanidsh Civil War. Moscow orders him to pretend to be a pro-Fascist journalist and and work in Spain. He joined (MI6/SIS) after the outbreak of the war (1940). There is not a lot known as to just what information they passed to the Soviets during the War. The real damage was done by Philby. At War's end, he was appointed head of SIS's anti-Soviet section. This meant the very man responsible for running operations against the Soviet Union, was a KGB agent. This led to the deaths of some very honorable and brave men. Philby later became chief British intelligence liason officer in the United States. It was there that he kearned that as a result of the Venona Papers, that the Americans had learned that there was a Soviet agents deeply envedded in the British Government. No one was nzamed, but by assesing the postings, dates and infirmsation recealed, the names could be worked out. With that informtion British authories were zeroing in on the like culprit or culprits. Philby managed to tip off Burgess and Maclean wjo defected to the Soviet Union tigrther (q951). They spent the rest of their lives there. After thery fled, Philby himself came under suspicion and had to resign. He steadfastly denied the alegtions. Prime-Minister MscMillan even personally testifgied on his behalf berfore Parlisament. As evidence mounted, Ohilby also defected to the Soviet Union (1963). He joined his coconspiratirs and lived the rest of his life there.
Sources
Cecil, Ribert. Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (2004-14).
Knightley, Phillip. Philby: KGB Masterspy (1988).
MccRum, Robert. "How Cambridge spy Guy Burgess charmed the Observer's man in Moscow," The Observer (May 28, 2016).
