emergence of SIS -- 6.From Boche to Bolsheviks -- 7.Domestic matters -- 8.Existing on a shoestring -- 9.Approaching war -- pt. Four The Impact of War -- 10.Keeping afloat -- 11.The European theatre -- 12.From Budapest to Baghdad -- 13.West and East -- pt. Five Winning the War -- 14.The tide turns -- 15.From Switzerland to Normandy -- 16.Victory in Europe -- 17.Asia and the end of the war -- 18.Postwar planning -- pt. Six From Hot War to Cold War -- 19.Adjusting to peace -- 20.Deployment and operations in Europe -- 21.A worldwide Service -- pt. Seven Conclusion -- 22.SIS: leadership and performance over the first forty years.

Summary: This study is the authoritative account of the best-known intelligence organisation in the world. Essential reading for anyone interested in the history of espionage, the two world wars, modern British government and the conduct of international relations in the first half of the twentieth century, "MI6: The history of the secret intelligence service 1909-1949" is an important examination of the role and significance of intelligence in the modern world.