Agent Zigzag

**StefanM** · 07-09-2013, 06:51 PM

Given the possibility of killing Hitler I am surprised that MI5 would give up any chance no matter how slim unless the intel Zig-Zag was providing was of more value to the war effort than letting Chapman try and potentially fail to kill AH?

**Glenn66** · 07-09-2013, 07:15 PM

An unsubstantiated theory that makes sense to me is that Hitler was doing such a bad job of running his war that by taking him out, a leader of better ability could have taken his place and actually made things more difficult for the Allies.

**bigmacglenn** · 07-09-2013, 07:26 PM

Good point...the German nation simply had to experience total defeat, with no chance of another "Dolchstosslegende" developing...
Hitler's interference in military affairs and ULTRA were both decisive, in my opinion...
cheers, Glenn

**big ned** · 07-09-2013, 07:34 PM

by Glenn66

An unsubstantiated theory that makes sense to me is that Hitler was doing such a bad job of running his war that by taking him out, a leader of better ability could have taken his place and actually made things more difficult for the Allies.

You're right Glenn, SOE hatched a plan in 1943 to assassinate Hitler at the Berghof with a sniper team parachuted in disguised as Gebirgsjager troops sometime around July 1944. Although Churchill and other senior officers were keen it was called off for reasons that are not entirely clear, but may have included the reason you give as well as making him a martyr to the German people at a time when resistance and morale was starting to crumble.

The Russians also had plans to kill Hitler, but at least two, in 1943 and '44, were vetoed by Stalin personally as he feared that if he was killed the Germans would sue for peace with the Western allies alone, leaving the Soviet Union out in the cold and susceptible to attack on a united front from the Western powers including Germany and using that country as a base/springboard to attack and defeat him and his communist empire.

Well, that's one theory....

Regards, Ned.

**harryamb2** · 07-09-2013, 08:21 PM

murder Hitler!,simply not cricket old boy.

**Jerry B** · 07-09-2013, 09:18 PM

Great book on a very interesting character and I think he was awarded the EKII. Any one who has not read the book should if they can IMHO.

**big ned** · 07-09-2013, 09:49 PM

For those not familiar with the story of Eddie Chapman aka Agent Zigzag, here's a great documentary about him that was shown on U.K. TV a while back. Sorry it's in several parts, but it's a rare little treasure from the BBC these days.....

Regards, Ned.

**StefanM** · 07-10-2013, 09:19 AM

Have all of the Zig-Zag papers been released into the public domain or are some still under non-disclosure restrictions at the National Archive in Kew?

**drmessimer** · 07-11-2013, 01:41 PM

I am indebted to Dave (Sandgroper) for recommending this excellent book. Actually, there are two books about Eddie Chapman: Agent Zig Zag by Ben Macintyre, published in 2007 and Zig Zag by Nicholas Booth, published in 2011. Both authors are experienced journalists and write well, so in order to decide which version was the better choice I read a comparative review by Joseph Kanon who wrote:
Since few readers are likely to read both of these books, it falls to the reviewer to answer the inevitable “which one?” question. Macintyre is the more graceful writer; “Agent Zigzag” has a clarity and shape that make it the more fluent account. He is also the more skeptical investigator, less likely to take Eddie’s word, and he is more seriously interested in Eddie’s psychology and tangle of emotions. And it’s he who tells us that Eddie’s cellmate and pal Anthony Charles Faramus ended up as Cary Grant’s butler.
But Booth has done his homework, too, and his access to Betty offers interesting intimate details, particularly about the postwar years. So even though I would give a personal nod to Macintyre’s as the better book, the truth is that a reader could have a good time with either. The story, no matter who’s telling it, is a humdinger.

I bought the Kindle edition of Agent Zig Zag and I can echo what others have said—it’s a terrific read. Dwight

**big ned** · 07-11-2013, 02:02 PM

The documentary I posted above about Eddie Chapman is actually written and narrated by Ben Macintyre. He also did a very similar job with another very good documentary about Operation Mincemeat or as it was better known in film, "The Man Who Never Was", and the discovery of the identity of the body that was used, a Welsh tramp named Glyndwr Michael.

Another excellent piece of work from Mr.Macintyre.

Regards, Ned.