COURTING A RELUCTANT ALLY - National Intelligence University

and Great Britain. His principalcontact at the NID, Rear AdmiralJohn Godfrey, was also an individualwho did much to push for amore liberal exchange policy withthe U.S. Kirk and Godfrey camefrom similar backgrounds andthey were uniquely suited to performthe roles they were assignedat this critical juncture in U.S.-UKrelations. The relationship theywere able to establish, while notpersonally close, was a key componentin furthering intelligenceexchanges between the two countries.Kirk’s performance as attachéhas been misrepresented byauthors who contend that he wasunrealistically pessimistic aboutEngland’s chances of survivingthe war.Figure 2. RADM GodfreySource: Beesly, Very Special Admiral,contained in photo section, used by permission.ALUSNA London OrganizationCaptain Alan Kirk took charge of the naval attaché office in London in February1939. A highly capable surface warfare officer, VADM Kirk later commandedall U.S. naval forces engaged in the Normandy invasion. According to “insider”accounts, he was well respected and, despite his lack of intelligence training, performedhis duties as attaché quite admirably. 148 The office he inherited from CaptainRussell Willson consisted of three assistant naval attachés, three enlistedpersonnel, and four civil service employees. One officer was designated as liaisonto the NID. 149 Although this organization was sufficient for handling peacetimeoperations, it was quickly overwhelmed within days of the war’s commencementand, by mid-September 1939, Kirk began requesting additional personnel from148Leutze, Bargaining for Supremacy, 58; Harold Stark, ADM, USN, Chief of Naval Operations,Letter to Robert Ghormley, RADM, USN, 16 November 1940, Stark Papers, 2.149Department of the Navy, United States Naval Forces in Europe, “Office of the United StatesNaval Attaché American Embassy London England, 1939-1946,” n.d., Stark Papers, 1-2. This documentis the command history of ALUSNA London from 1939 to 1946. Cited hereafter as “ALU-SNA London Command History,” Stark Papers.44