Philby, as you have described so well, was a communist doing his work for the cause. Your book, so well researched, is one of the best books I have read.
Philby was two people in one body. A living contradiction. A good book is called "Treason in the Blood" - 1994 which includes his father who was inseparable from his son's career. Some relevant files are due to be de-classified in 2025 so the story is not yet over.
MY SILENT WAR by Kim Philby-- During my youth in the 1930s two paths were presented to me---the rank appeasement of nazis by PMs Stanley Baldwin and Neville Chamberlain or the opposition of USSR. But for the power of the USSR and the Communist idea, the whole world would now be ruled by hitler and hirohito. It is a matter of great pride to me that I was invited at so early an age, to play my infinitesimal part in building up that power. How, where and when I became a member of the Soviet intelligence service is a matter to myself and my comrades. I will only say that when the proposition was made to me, I did not hesitate. One does not look twice at an offer of enrollment in an elite force.
Self-aggrandising bullshit. Philby remained loyal to Stalinism throughout the Soviet-Nazi Pact when the Soviets went into alliance with the Nazis and Communists in the West argued against war against Hitler. They flip flopped only when Hitler’s army invaded its ally. Philby was a contemptible traitor in the service of a contemptible regime.
Maxim Litvinov, Foreign Secretary of USSR, who proposed in April 1939 an alliance with France, UK and USSR to oppose Nazi Germany. Both France and UK stalled the alliance. That paved the way for Molotov signing the Non-Aggression pact with the nazis in August, 1939.
