Operation Hardboiled
Operation Hardboiled was the first attempt at deception by the London Controlling Section. It was designed to convince the Axis powers that the Allies would soon invade German-occupied Norway. The Royal Marines were trained in mountain warfare, given cold weather equipment and stockpiled Norwegian currency.
About Operation Hardboiled in brief
Operation Hardboiled was a Second World War military deception. Undertaken by the Allies in 1942, it was the first attempt at deception by the London Controlling Section. It was designed to convince the Axis powers that the Allies would soon invade German-occupied Norway. The LCS had little guidance in strategic deception, an activity pioneered by Dudley Clarke the previous year, and was unaware of the extensive double agent system controlled by MI5. The operation was planned as a real operation, involving actual training and troop movements, culminating in the embarkation of a fake invasion. The plan relied on German intelligence, rumour and leaks to convey the deception to the enemy. The Royal Marines were trained in mountain warfare, given cold weather equipment and stockpiled Norwegian currency. Realistic invasion plans were drawn up, but were met with considerable resistance from the armed forces who considered the operation to be a waste of time and resources.
Adolf Hitler ordered the reinforcement of Scandinavia in March and April 1942, before Hard Boiled was shelved in May. Despite its limited impact, the operation gave the LCS experience in planning deceptions, and laid the groundwork for future exploitation of Hitler’s belief that Northern Europe was strategically important. It is unclear to what extent the operation contributed to Hitler’s decision to reinforce Scandinavia, but it is believed to have played a role in his decision to send more troops to the Middle East and the Pacific. The Operation was planned by Colonel Oliver Stanley, the former Secretary of State for War, as the new Controlling Officer.
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This page is based on the article Operation Hardboiled published in Wikipedia (as of Oct. 30, 2020) and was automatically summarized using artificial intelligence.
