History Camp Discussions
Thursday, January 30 @ 8 pm Eastern
Robert Verkaik
The Traitor of Arnhem

From the Publisher:

Revealing the hidden role of the Cambridge Spies during this Allied defeat, The Traitor of Arnhem relates for the first time the startling betrayal that changed the course of World War II.

The end of World War II is in sight.

Following the overwhelming victory on D-Day, Churchill, Roosevelt, and Stalin all seek to shape the future to their own ends by winning the race to Berlin.

The British launch Operation Market Garden, the greatest airborne operation the world has ever seen. It is a bold roll of the dice that, if successful, will end the war in weeks. But behind the scenes spies are working their craft, the Allies’ plans are betrayed, the operation fails—and thousands of our soldiers die.

The Traitor of Arnhem tells the never-before-told story of this famed operation and of the spies working to cause the catastrophic defeat. One traitor is a terrifying giant of a man, a supposed hero of the resistance who sends hundreds of fellow freedom fighters to torture and death; the other is an aristocrat and an English gentleman, working from inside the heart of the Allied war effort in London. Both of them are working for the Russians.

Drawn from newly released archives and shedding fresh light on the spies responsible for its failure, The Traitor of Arnhem is the remarkable account of the battle that would transform the conclusion of the European campaign and set the stage for the Cold War.

Reviews:

Original, thought-provoking and exceedingly well written … I have not read such a convincing portrayal of the German intelligence war in Holland, the author is to be congratulated. He makes a convincing case for Blunt’s involvement … This book is a positive and original contribution to what over the years has become quite an emotive debate … A worthwhile read. ― Robert Kershaw, author of It Never Snows in September

This history book serves as a powerful and timely reminder of how the failure to tackle Joseph Stalin’s threat to the West at the end of World War 2 has forced the free world to face up to the aggression of Vladimir Putin today. ― Bill Browder, author of Red Notice and Freezing Order

The strongest point of the book is the story about ‘Josephine’. We will probably never be sure who ‘Josephine’ was, if it even was a person, but… Robert proves the case as far as circumstantial evidence allows one. ― Bob de Graaff, Holland’s foremost expert on intelligence and the official historian of the Dutch intelligence services

Excellent … a remarkable answer through considerable research to the vexed question: why were the Nazis unexpectedly lying in wait? ― The Jewish Chronicle

A bombshell book. ― Daily Mail

Sensational. ― Daily Express

Breathtaking. ― Sunday Post

Vivid and arresting … Building a convincing case for the identity of the agents who ensured the frustration of the Allied military operation at Arnhem, Robert Verkaik has delivered a well-researched and intriguing book. ― Lord Browne & Russell Clarke, PoliticsHome

Robert Verkaik’s best book yet, a testament to his investigative skills, journalistic nous for a compelling story, and impressive understanding of the spy world. He has uncovered an espionage scoop that for decades was totally missed by other historians. ― Richard Kerbaj, author of Five Eyes

Unnerving findings about one of the great failed Allied operations of WWII. A disturbing reevaluation of an iconic World War II battle. ― Kirkus Reviews (starred)

Verkaik uncovers a startling new dimension to a well-known story of betrayal in this riveting account. He homes in on spy Anthony Blunt, whose reputation after the war Verkaik alleges was whitewashed as a noble communist merely helping an Allied nation, when in reality, according to Verkaik, Blunt betrayed Operation Market Garden to the Nazis at the Soviets’ behest, leading to thousands of British deaths. Verkaik offers fine-grained accountings of both Blunt’s and Lindemans’s actions. It’s an explosive and paradigm-shifting account. ― Publishers Weekly (starred)

Join us at HistoryCamp.org/discussions for this free event and watch replays of earlier interviews, presentations, and discussions.