Operation Hardboiled was a Second World War military deception. Undertaken by the Allies in 1942, it was the first attempt at deception by the London Controlling Section (LCS) and was designed to convince the Axis powers that the Allies would soon invade German-occupied Norway. The LCS had recently been established to plan deception across all theatres, but had struggled for support from the unenthusiastic military establishment. The LCS had little guidance in strategic deception, an activity pioneered by Dudley Clarke the previous year, and was unaware of the extensivedouble agent system controlled by MI5. Although Clarke preferred the fast and inexpensive approach of spreading false rumours through agents and wireless traffic, Hardboiled was conducted as a diversionary operation (training pictured). Resistance to the operation by the chosen units interfered with preparations. Hitler ordered the reinforcement of Scandinavia in March and April 1942, before Hardboiled was shelved in May; it is unclear to what extent the operation contributed to his decision.
