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One inreresting topic is the security organized to defend the major World War II leaders. Hitler and Stalin had enormous security details. And Stalin had the most expansive policy concerning security. His approach was to destroyv whole groups of people that might be a scurity risk eithout any evidence of actual individual involvement. Hitler took a similar appropach, but not toward his own peole like Stalin. An exception was Jews, all of whom were considerd a secuirity risk. Hitler's security details was massive with rings of security around places like Berchesgarden where he stayed and the various military compounds in the East. The SS of course was created primarily as a small unit for Hitler's personal security. His enenies eventually got to huim, but it took the German military to do so (July 1944). We do not know much about Mussolini's Security. Th Communists of course eventually got to him, but only at the end of the War when his security detail had evaporated (April 1945). Churchill had the weakest security arrangements. Primarily consusting iof a long-time Scotlsnd Yard officer, W.H. Thpompson. We see images of Churchill wading into crowds with only Thompson and another detctive far begind him. Roosevelt was protected by the Secret Service. When outside the White House in public venues, there was usually a bevy of Secret Service agents with him.
Churchill had the weakest of all World War II security arrangements fo war leaders. And he was by far the most exposed as he so frequenty moved among the people. His security detail centered around Special Branch detective, W.H. Thompson (1890-1978). Thompson was an ordinary police constable in Bayswater until the Suffegette Movement movement began stirring up Britain. It changed Britain in many ways and among other matters brought thompson and Churchill together. The British Government decided that the Special Branch needed to be expanded to surveil the troubelsome sufregettes. Thomopson decided to take the necessary test and passed. He soon became acquinted with the Sufregette leaders. As the Britain was engulfed in World War I (1914), foreign threats came to the front and Thompson began to surveil anarchists, communists, and other mostly foreign threats. During the War, the UIRA rise as a new threat. Thompson eventully moved to the protection detail. And he was temorarily assigned to watch Churchill, then Secretary of State for War and Air, due to thev IRA threats. It was the beginning of a life-time association. There was trouble at first because Churchill was so oblivuious to his personal security. There was a very serious incident in Cairo in which both Churchill and Thopmson was saved byb none other than T.H. Lawrence. After this, Thompson read Churchill the riot act. The two eventually woked this out and became very close. 【W. Thompson】 And there was a very real danger. IRA gunmen killed Sir Henry Wilson, chief of the British General Staff (1922). The association between Churchill and Thpompson continued until Churchill was out of government (1929). There was another temporary assignment when Churchill traveled to America (1931). Thompson retired and opened a grocer. settling down to a more normal life (1936). This all changed thanks to Herr Hitler. When it became clear that Germany was going to invade Poland, Prime-Minister-Chmberlain need Churchill in the cabinet. Thmpson, still retired and a grocer in South London, received a cable out of the blue from Churchill, "MEET ME CROYDON AERODROME 4.30 PM WEDNESDAY CHURCHILL." (August 22, 1939) 【W. Thompson】 For the rest of the War, Thompson would be at the center of Churchill's very small security detail. We see countless images of Churchill wading into crowds, especially during the Blitz with only Thompson and another detctive far begind him. Thompson would retire again on VE Day (May 1945).
Emperopr Hirohito's security operation was the easiest of all the World War II security operationss. This is because the god-emperor did not mingle with his all too mortal subjects. He spent most of his time in his Tokyo palace being catered to by the palace staff. And perhaps most importantly he did not oppose the war except writuing very measured, cryptic poems to the the milatary men havung failed to subdue China and defeat the Siviets now bent on war with America and Britain. It is not known what the military would have done had the Emperior openly opposed the War, but Hirohito did not want to find out. The palace was not all that heavily guarded either before or during the War. At the end of the War a very small Army contigent broke into the palace and encountered very little resistance (August 1945). They were trying fo find and destroy the Empror's recording of his surrender address to the Japanese people which was about to be broadcasted.
Hitler had one of the most massve security operation in history. Second only to that of Stalin. It was necessary because so many people wanted to kill him. There were more than 30 assasination asttempts. And the threats came early, in fact as he seized control of the German Worker's Party which became the NAZI Party (1921). 【Hoffman】 Bombing was the most common method. The danger of such assaults was the reason Heinrich Himmler rose in the NAZI fermanent and created the infamous Schutzstaffel (SS or Protection Squad). There was a permanent SS escort and other security groups responsible for guarding the Führer, dealing with transportation, public appearances, residences, and wartime headquarters. Thse groups were often in conflict with each other. The security provisions were especially elaborate at the Wolf's Lair at Rastenburg and at Berchtesgaden, his Alpine retreat. Hitler took a similar appropach to Stalin, but not toward his on people like Stalin did. An exception was the Jews, all of whom were considerd a secuirity risk. itler's security details was massive with rings of security around places like Berchesgadeen where he stayed and the various military compounds in the East. The SS of course was created primarily for Hitler's personal security. His enenies eventually got to him, but it took the German military to do so. The SS of course was created primarily for Hitler's personal security. His enenies eventually got to him, but it took the German military to do it (July 1944)--Valkyrie/July Bomb Plot (July 1944). 【Felton】 Hitler survived the July Bomb plot and gushed after the attempt, "I am immortal!." As the Allies closed in on Hitler's Berlin bunker, he was still protected by a fauitful SS security contingent. After Hitler saw what happended to Mussolini, he decided to commit suiside.
We do not know much about Mussolini's Fascist security operation before and during the War. We assume it was Organizzazione per la Vigilanza e la Repressione dell'Antifascismo (OVRA, Organization for Vigilance and Repression of Anti-Fascism. Unlike the German Gestapo, OVRA did not have pre-Fascist origins. A few years after after taking power in Italy and becoming the Duce, Mussolini founded OVRA (1927). This was basically a fiormaslity as he already controlled most of Italy police forces, with the excetion of the Carabinieri controled by the Army. Like other Italian Fascist organizations, OVRA became a model for the NAZIs. Mussolini's secret police was responsible for supressing anti-fascist activity or sentiment. Some 50,000 OVRA agents infiltrated most important aspects of domestic life. Arturo Bocchini (1880-1940). Bocchini headed both the regular police (State Police) and the secret police (OVRA) which like the German Gestapo became a pervasive national security agency that operating furingb the Fascist era at all levels of Italian society. Bocchini reported directly to Mussolini and to Mussolini only. He basically operated autonomously without interference from any Government or Fascistb Party organuization or state prefects. This level of powe within the government resulted in him becoming known axs the 'Vice Duce'. OVRA never appeared in any official document, so the official name is unclear. As Rome's Chief of Police, Bocchini personally coordinated the arrest and brutal treatment of prominent anti-fascists, most famously Antonio Gramsci who was arrested (1926). Bocchini developed a close relationship with his German counterpart Reichsführer-SS Heinrich Himmler. The Communists of course eventually got to the Duce, but this was only at the end of the War when the Repubblica Sociale Italiana (Repubblica di Salò) in northern Italy collapsed. It is likely that a SS security detail would have defended Hitler to the end. The same was not the case for Mussolini's Fascist security detail. He only had the German Army to turn to for protection. And they were not all that pleased with the idea as they fled north to Austria. The Germans too abandoned him when confronted by armed partisans looking for Fascist officials and they caught the big one (April 1945).
President Frannklin Pierce was the first presidebnt to have a full-time bodyguard. Hev also also introduced the two-level security arrangement that is the basis of Whuite House protection today. There is a guarded outer perimeter securing the White House grounds and an inner perimeter—the bodyguard to protect the president himself. Even so security was basically lax as was demonsratedby how easily John Wilks Booth assasinated President Lincoln (1865) followed by two more presidential assainations: Garfield (1888) and Mckinnly (1900). As a result, thev Secret Service, an arm of the Treasury Department, assomed responsibility for protecting thev president. President Theodore who as vice-president assumed office reportedly was not happy with the constraints involved. When outside the White House in public venues, there was usually a bevy of Secret Service agents with him. The security operation for President Franklin Roosevelt was not much chanhed and still realtively lax. Actually becausev of his handicap, he was probabkly the reasiest presudentbtomprotect. His movements were so restruicted. This all changed with the advent of World War II, although Roosevelt himself had nothing to do with it and like his coisin Teddy was not at all that pleased with the added contraints. The Secret Service put a stop to casual visitors and set up sentry boxes for Secret Srvice agents and members of the White House police force. Mrs. Roosevelt's friend recalls, "No more throngs of Congressional constituents being escorted along the beautiful, stately grand corridor … from the East Room to the State Dining Room. No more government clerks hurrying through the grounds … in the late afternoon on their way home from work … No more Sunday tourists feeding the squirrels, taking snapshots and hanging around the portico hoping someone interesting would come out." 【Hickok】 President Roosevelt put his foot down when the Secret Service and the military suggested other precautions like bklacking out the White House skylights, painting the White House in camouflage, placing machine gun turrets on the roofb [the roof now is equipped weith missdles], and building barricades or positioning tanks at the White House erimiter. The President did not feel that endangered and though this would alarm the American people for no good reason. The Presidntb would occassiionlly elude his security detail when he was drivingb his esoecially equipped car--the only time this was possible. It was especially the case when meeting with the Norwegian Crown Princess Martha with whom he had a special friendship. Mrs. Roosevelt also had issues when the new security measures were introduced. "Mrs. Roosevelt is very much annoyed today with Secret Service ... because they insisted she could not have 350 foreign students in the White House for tea. .... In exasperation, Mrs. Roosevelt asked if they were going to take down the Washington monument because an enemy could measure the distance between it and the White House." 【M. Thompson】 As this was right after Pearl Harbor unlike camouflaging the White House did not seem all that unreasonable.
Stalin had the most expansive policy concerning security. His approach was to destroy whole groups of people that might be a scurity risk eithout any evidence of actual individual involvement. He took great pleasure in selecting indivuiduals he knew personally for death, but the numbers went far beyond the ability of any one individuals to select. The attention of Lenin to personal was very limited. And there were several attempts tom kill him. Lenin apparently beklieved that in the Bolshevik Soviet Union, ruled by 'the people' meaning the Communist Party, thatb he was safe. Stalin did not make that same mistake, althouh measures to protect Bolshevik leaders were increased before Stalin was in full control. Er are not sure just whon was responsible for these changes, but thev variousnattemosts on Lenin's lifevmadeb it ckear that Bilshevik officisla weere not sfe even in thSiviet Union. Soviet authorities made major changes to the security measures for the Soviet head of state and other leading Bolshevik officals--although ironically after Stalin seized control he would order the arrest and killing of miost of the leading Old Bolsheviks. The task of protecting the head of state and leading Bolsheviks was assigned to the Political Directorate of the Soviet Army and Soviet Navy (1924-29). By the time that Stalin was in real control (1929), he began to take a special interest in his personal security, not only because of whatbhappened tom Lenin, but because od several incidents hev experienced. As a result the state security aparatus was significantly expanded. Stalin transferred the resonsibility for his personal security and the Siviet leadershio to the hands of People’s Commissariat for Internal Affairs (NKVD), essentially the interior ministry of the Soviet Union. From this point on, Sioviet leaders were basicaly safe from the people, their primary danger was from tStalin and the NKVD that was suposedly protecting them. Stalin notb only remembered those who who had oppsed himm or not supported him in his rise to power or who displeased him for variious reasons once he was in power. Stalin like Leninwas accustomed to walking as part of his normal routin. He normally lived and worked in the Kremlin, but often had business to conduct in the the Central Committee of the Communist Party, a building about a kilometer away. He commonly walked. Security agents would follow him, but he was dangerously exposed. One day apparently by accident Ilyinka Street he ran into a former Tsarist army officer armed with a gun (1931). As a result, Vyacheslav Molotov, at the time the Soviet Prime Minister, ordered "Comrade Stalin must be restricted from walking around Moscow." From that time on, Stalin and other major Bolshevik officials moved around protected by by their own protection details even inside the Kremlin. Theb man who transforned Stalin's personalm security was Nikolay Vlasik, appointed to head Stalin’s personal security unit (1927). He transformed the operation from a casual amateurish operation into the most elaborate protection operationn in the world.
Prime-Minister Hideki Tojo's security was in the hands of the Kenpeitai. This was the Imperial Army's military police force that became essentilly the Japanese secret police force before and during World War II. They of course were guarding Gen. Tojo before he became prime-minister (1941). He was not in much danger. He stayed primarily in army bases and because he was a hard-liner was a favorite of the would be assasination groups. The Japanese officials and military officers who opposed the War and military spending were the ones in danger. Extemists simply gunned down the opposition. A right-wing fanatic attempted to assasinate Prime-Minister Hamaguchi (November 1930). He surived the shooting, but died 8 months later. Reactionary elements of the Imperial Japanese Navy, assisted by cadets in the Imperial Japanese Army and remnants of the civilian ultra nationalist League of Blood (Ketsumei-dan) laujnched the May 15 Incident (五・一五事件, Goichigo Jiken) (1932). A group of 11 junior naval officers assainated Prime-Minister Inukai Tsuyoshi. Anmazingly one of the most endangered figures was Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto because he was known to oppose war with Ameruica. He tended to stay in naval bases around Hiroshima, the main Japanese naval base, for his personal security. Tojo fell from power after the fall of the Marianas (July 1944). Strangely while Tiojo was removed from power there was no chbnge in Japanese policiers. Tojo retired quitely to his home in Tokyo. where lived quitely. As far as we can tell, his home was not heavly guarded. He was was finally after Japan surrendered arrested by the Americans (September 1945). Strangely, the americans saved his life. He had made a half hearted attempt to commit suicide. Tojon was the only one of the top three Axis leaders to face a judicial process.
Thank you for your interest in our site. If using any of our material, partially or in full, we ask that you always provide an active hyperlink to the pages that you have consulted.
Felton, Mark. Guarding Hitler: The Secret World of the Führer (2014).
Hickok, Lorena.
Hoffman, Peter. Hitler's Personal Security: Protecting the Führer, 1921-1945 (2000).
Thompson, Malvina. Malvina 'Tommy' Thompson was the First Lady's long-serving pribate secretary and the event was to occut 9 days after the Japanese Pearl Harbor attack.
Thompson. W.H.C. Johnson, ed.
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Created: 11:31 AM 1/18/2023
Last updated: 2:45 PM 1/20/2023
