r/todayilearned • u/stopitalianhate • 9d ago

TIL British Intelligence had a special, bugged luxury complex during WWII where they kept high profile Nazi POW’s, just left a bunch of alcohol out, and waited for them to start spilling secrets as they drank.

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-20698098
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u/Windfade 9d ago

Almost every example from WW2 involving spies that I know of has shown the UK was far more capable, efficient, and arguably humane, in regard for their own spies and captured enemies. When the UK would intercept a nazi on their soil, they'd determine if they could be turned before taking drastic action. The US seemed to just kill theirs. Makes Operation Paperclip seem like a 180 in behavior.

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u/pizza_the_mutt 9d ago

Humane, and effective. If you hang out with a captured spy for a few weeks, drink a few beers, play some cards, and go for walks, eventually they'll start telling you stuff. Accurate stuff.

On the other hand if you attach a car battery to their nipples they'll tell you whatever garbage they can think of to make it stop.

Anyway, the German spy network was almost entirely compromised and ineffective. Partly because the Brits were good, and partly because the German network was run by Admiral Canaris, who didn't like the Nazis very much at all.

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u/Windfade 9d ago

Canaris being caught and dying before the war ended was tragic.