Hidden Agenda

December 1, 2002
In his first book, Allen investigates the relationship between Charles Bedaux, a Nazi spy, and the Duke of Windsor (the former King Edward VIII). According to Allen, the duke passed Allied military secrets to the Nazis via Bedaux, information that proved crucial to the conquest of France. This act of treason was subsequently covered up by a royal family fearful of a backlash. The assertion of treason is indeed dismaying, but though Allen shows that the duke consorted with a known spy (not entirely news to informed readers), he does not present persuasive evidence that he was actually feeding information to the Nazis. Allen argues vociferously that the information supposedly passed along was significant, and he is not convincing here either. Fundamentally, Allen does not seem to understand the complexities of military history or to be conversant with the latest literature on the subject (especially Ernest May's Strange Victory: Hitler's Conquest of France). Knowing an enemy's battle plan does not necessarily decide a battle, since the Allies knew German plans through much of 1940-42, via the Ultra secret, yet were not able to win major victories until 1943. Allen is also inconsistent in his source utilization, citing some material precisely and others with only vague references. He ends by setting up a straw man: To doubt his findings and conclusions, he implies, is to be an apologist for the royal family. Not recommended.-Frederic Krome, Jacob Rader Marcus Ctr. of the American Jewish Archives

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