The Merits and Limitations of Memoirs in the Intelligence Field: An Assessment of Truth and Deception Present in Kim Philby’s Book – “My Silent War”
The Merits and Limitations of Memoirs in the Intelligence Field: An Assessment of Truth and Deception Present in Kim Philby’s Book – “My Silent War”

Author(s): Alin Dreptate
Subject(s): Security and defense, Military policy
Published by: Centrul tehnic-editorial al armatei
Keywords: memoirs; intelligence; espionage; deception; propaganda;
Summary/Abstract: This research supports the importance of memoirs with their merits and limitations, exemplified through the writings of a British double agent, Kim Philby. Philby’s book, first published over fifty years ago, is a propagandistic material, portraying favourably the Soviet intelligence services. However, the memoir also presents embarrassing truths about questionable practices and failures of the British Secret Intelligence Service (SIS), highly likely never to be officially admitted. This article argues that memoirs are valuable and relevant as supplement of the archival evidence, pending on the ability to separate between truth and falsehood.

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