Spies at the heart of the Cold war

: the British Commanders’-In-Chief mission to the soviet forces in germany 1946 – 1990 ("BRIXMIS")

Abstract

This study examines the value of the British Commanders’-­‐In-­‐Chief Mission to the Soviet Forces in Germany 1946 – 1990 ("BRIXMIS") for British Cold War policy-­‐making. Academic study of security, defence and intelligence-­‐related organisations during the Cold War are by now quite well-­‐established in the Anglo-­‐American sphere; however, to this day there is no academic analysis of BRIXMIS. This thesis is going to fill that gap. It will look at the entire duration of the mission, from its foundation in 1946 to its closure in 1990, linking it with Whitehall policy-­‐making. The study will shed light on British intelligence operations in the immediate aftermath of 1989, where BRIXMIS’ capacities continued to play a crucial role. Ultimately, the point will be made that the mission’s expertise and utility surpassed its existence, because they were being used by policy long after the mission had been terminated. The study will conclude by establishing the value of the mission for Whitehall policy-­‐making and intelligence analysis, thus answering the overall question: that the mission was indeed, and rather unexpectedly, a great provider of vital intelligence. It will become clear how the perception of the mission as an intelligence operation on the part of decision-­‐makers in London changed over time from scepticism to great appreciation and admiration.

Date of Award	1 Jun 2020
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	King's College London
Supervisor	Michael Goodman (Supervisor) & Huw Dylan (Supervisor)