X-2 Counter Espionage Branch
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The head of the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), William Donovan, created the X-2 Counter Espionage Branch in 1943 to provide liaison with and assist the British in its exploitation of the Ultra program's intelligence during World War II.[1] A few months before, Donovan had established a Counterintelligence Division within the Secret Intelligence Branch of the OSS but rescinded this order upon development of the X-2.[2] The X-2 was led by James Murphy, whose branch would have the power to veto operations of the Special Operations and Secret Intelligence Branches without explanation.[1] Donovan modeled the Counter Espionage Branch on British Counter Espionage.[3] With the creation of the X-2 Branch, the British insisted that it follow British security procedures to maintain the secrecy of Ultra.[1] The X-2 established separate lines of communication for itself as a self-contained unit.[4] By the end of World War II, the X-2 had discovered around 3,000 Axis agents.[5]