The History Group made a triumphant return to Casa Cultura last Tuesday, drawing an impressive audience of around 70 attendees.
Gary Johnson, a familiar and respected speaker both to this group and Moraira U3A, delivered a compelling presentation titled “The Treachery of Anthony Blunt: How He Hid in Plain Sight for 45 Years”.
Gary meticulously traced Blunt’s transformation into a Soviet recruiter during his tenure as a Cambridge don, highlighting his pivotal role in establishing the notorious Cambridge Spy Ring—an espionage network that included infamous figures such as Philby, Burgess, and MacLean.
Throughout his career as an MI5 officer, Blunt leveraged his privileged social standing—being a cousin of the Queen Mother and well-connected within London’s artistic, intellectual and often homosexual elite—to conceal his covert activities. This extensive network of influence allowed him to operate undetected for decades.
Despite these social advantages, Blunt remained a staunch ideological convert to Soviet communism. His betrayal had far-reaching consequences, notably contributing to the catastrophic failure of the Allied Operation Market Garden in September 1944. This defeat at Arnhem facilitated Soviet forces’ advance into Berlin and other critical regions of Germany ahead of the American and British troops.
Group Leader Keith Smith expressed gratitude to Gary Johnson for a presentation befitting the group’s return to Casa Cultura.
Looking ahead, on Tuesday, 11th November, seasoned U3A presenter Mike Granville will present 1946—a pivotal moment of global transformation. This talk will examine how the emergence of the United States and the Soviet Union as superpowers set the stage for the Cold War. Mike will also explore the broader societal shifts of the period, reflecting on the everyday lives of people in Britain and worldwide. For some, it may even be a personal journey—1946 was the year Mike himself was born. Anyone else?