Espionage, Counterintelligence, and Naval Observation in the Middle of the Atlantic: A Case Study of US Intelligence in the Canary Islands (1939–1945)

Abstract

From 1939 to 1945, the Spanish archipelago of the Canary Islands became an alternative battleground for the intelligence services of the warring powers. US intelligence operated through diplomatic, military, and strategic channels such as consulates, the Office of Naval Intelligence, and the Office of Strategic Services. The archipelago was integrated into the US intelligence network in Spain but was also considered important in relation to operations in North Africa. This article interprets the role played by US intelligence in the Canary Islands as a case study of Allied intelligence operations in the North Atlantic Ocean during the Second World War.