Join James Crossland, a Professor of International History and co-director at Liverpool John Moores University, as he unpacks the thrilling life of Robert Bruce Lockhart—a diplomat, conspirator, and propagandist. Discover Lockhart's audacious escapades during the Bolshevik Revolution and how he navigated complex political landscapes. From his extravagant journalism to failed rubber plantations, Crossland reveals Lockhart's captivating duality and his role in wartime propaganda. Dive into the machinations of history with stories that read like fiction!
Robert Bruce Lockhart's unconventional career spanned multiple roles, showcasing his talent for navigating elite circles while engaging in subversive activities.
His firsthand experiences during the upheaval in Tsarist Russia enabled him to gather crucial intelligence that informed British foreign policy before World War I.
Lockhart's innovative approach to propaganda as Director General of the Political Warfare Executive laid the groundwork for modern psychological operations in intelligence.
Deep dives
The Colorful Life of Robert Bruce Lockhart
Robert Bruce Lockhart had a diverse and adventurous career, embodying the traits of a diplomat, conspirator, and propagandist. Born into a well-off Scottish family, he spent time in Malaysia as a rubber planter, where his life was marked by scandals, financial troubles, and a near-fatal bout with malaria. Upon returning to Britain, he entered the Foreign Office, starting his diplomatic career in Tsarist Russia, where he became an adept intelligence gatherer. His charming yet reckless personality allowed him to navigate both elite circles and revolutionary elements, which ultimately set the stage for his later exploits during the tumultuous periods leading up to and throughout the First World War.
Insightful Observations in Tsarist Russia
Lockhart's time in Tsarist Russia coincided with significant societal upheaval, allowing him to observe the juxtaposition of extreme poverty and the opulence of the elite. This unique vantage point fostered his ability to extract valuable intelligence while mingling with revolutionaries and diplomats alike. His keen understanding of the Russian political landscape meant that he could accurately assess the brewing tensions and predict the likelihood of revolution, providing invaluable reports to the British Foreign Office. This prescient clarity foreshadowed his future as a key figure in British intelligence during one of history's most complicated periods.
The Lockhart Plot Against the Bolsheviks
As the Bolsheviks gained power, Lockhart shifted his focus from seeking cooperation to plotting their overthrow, culminating in what became known as the Lockhart Plot. Initially tasked with persuading the Bolsheviks to re-enter World War I, he became disillusioned with their governance as the socio-economic situation in Russia deteriorated. His connections with military figures disillusioned with Bolshevik rule, combined with his diplomatic acumen, positioned him to orchestrate a counter-coup involving subversion and external military intervention. However, the plot ultimately collapsed when it was infiltrated by Bolshevik intelligence, leading to Lockhart's arrest and imprisonment in the Kremlin.
Success as Director of the Political Warfare Executive
After World War II began, Lockhart was appointed Director General of the Political Warfare Executive, tasked with orchestrating British propaganda efforts against Axis powers. He brought a strategic perspective to propaganda, understanding its role in shaping public perception and morale not just in Britain but throughout occupied Europe. By integrating accurate information and appealing narratives, he significantly enhanced the efficacy of British propaganda, including utilizing deceitful broadcasts that created the illusion of rebellion within Germany. His leadership established a model for wartime psychological operations, influencing future intelligence operations well into the Cold War era.
A Complex Legacy and Final Years
Despite his tumultuous personal life fraught with affairs and financial difficulties, Lockhart continued to navigate the complexities of post-war diplomacy and propaganda. After the war, he faced a renewed demand for his insights on Russian politics and Stalin's regime, leading to further involvement in broadcasting and intelligence. His remarkable ability to connect with influential allies throughout his life enabled him to maintain a presence in intelligence circles, even as he pursued writing and journalism. Lockhart's life filled with adventure and intrigue ultimately closed on a reflective note, symbolizing both the highs and lows of a man who straddled the worlds of diplomacy, espionage, and public life.
Robert Bruce Lockhart was at various times in his life a diplomat, a conspirator, an gatherer of intelligence, and a propagandist. He was always a maverick, a charmer, a bit of a cad with a touch of the bounder, and a devotee of the high life when he could afford it, and often when he could not.
In his busy life he ran a Malaya rubber plantation; served as a diplomat in Czarist Russia; and was first an interlocutor with and then a conspirator against the Bolshevik leaders of the early Soviet Union. After imprisonment and expulsion from the Soviet Union, he ricocheted about Europe as a journalist and memoirist, before ending up as head of the shadowy and creative Political Warfare Executive. Throughout his life he seemed to be an escapee from a John Buchan novel like The Thirty-Nine Steps, or Greemantle, albeit one with a much higher sex drive.
With me to talk about Robert Bruce Lockhart is James Crossland, Professor of International History at Liverpool John Moores University, where he is co-director of the Centre for Modern and Contemporary History. His interests are in—among other things—terrorism, propaganda, the International Red Cross and the history of international humanitarian law. He was last on the podcast in Episode 353 to talk about his book The Rise of the Devils: Fear and the Origins of Modern Terrorism. His newest book is Rogue Agent: From Secret Plots to Psychological Warfare, the Untold Story of Robert Bruce Lockhart.
Some related podcasts in the archive are Jonathan Schneer on the Lockhart Plot; Anna Reid on the Russian Civil War; and–well, I mentioned it, oddly enough–Ben Jones on the Jedburghs.
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