As a press officer in the Foreign Office News Department , Burgess 's role involved explaining government policy to foreign editors and diplomatic correspondents . His access to secret material enabled him to send Moscow important details of allied policy both before and during the March 1945 Yalta Conference . He passed information relating to the postwar futures of Poland and Germany , and also contingency plans for " Operation Unthinkable " , which anticipated a future war with the Soviet Union . His Soviet masters rewarded his efforts with a £ 250 bonus . Burgess 's working methods were characteristically disorganised , and his tongue was loose ; according to his colleague Osbert Lancaster , " w hen in his cups he made no bones about working for the Russians " . Burgess had maintained contact with McNeil who , following Labour 's victory in the 1945 General Election , became Minister of State at the Foreign Office , effectively Ernest Bevin 's deputy . McNeil , a staunch anti-communist unsuspecting of Burgess 's true allegiance , admired the latter for his sophistication and intelligence , and in December 1946 secured his services as an additional private secretary . The appointment was in breach of regular Foreign Office procedures , and there were complaints , but McNeil prevailed . Burgess quickly made himself indispensable to McNeil , and in one six-month period transmitted to Moscow the contents of 693 files , a total of over 2,000 photographed pages , for which he received a further cash reward of £ 200
Yalta Conference
Yalta Conference
Guy Burgess