The Berlin Tunnel was an Anglo-American eavesdropping operation mounted against Russian-controlled East Berlin in 1955–56. It was a technical and engineering triumph which yielded a vast hoard of intelligence and, crucially, guaranteed early warning of any surprise Russian attack (as was mooted by the Russian military). Yet it was betrayed to the Russians by the British spy George Blake before a single sod was dug. This well-researched and readable account tells both stories, showing how they fed into each other.
High-grade information on Russian military capabilities and intentions were scarce. One of few successful sources was an MI6 tunnel in Vienna, tapping into Russian underground communications cables. The MI6 head of station there, Peter Lunn, was then posted to Berlin, where he looked to repeat his Viennese success.
A combination of covert surveying and agents in the East German telecommunications network identified a favourable starting point in the US sector of West Berlin.
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