▁worked ▁as ▁a ▁journalist ▁and ▁covered ▁the ▁Spanish ▁Civil ▁War ▁and ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁France . ▁In ▁ 1 9 4 0 , ▁he ▁began ▁working ▁for ▁M I 6 . ▁By ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁Second ▁World ▁War ▁he ▁had ▁become ▁a ▁high - ran king ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁British ▁intelligence ▁service . ▁In ▁ 1 9 4 9 , ▁Phil by ▁was ▁appointed ▁first ▁secretary ▁to ▁the ▁British ▁Emb ass y ▁in ▁Washington ▁and ▁served ▁as ▁chief ▁British ▁l ia ison ▁with ▁American ▁intelligence ▁ag encies . ▁During ▁his ▁career ▁as ▁an ▁intelligence ▁officer , ▁he ▁passed ▁large ▁amounts ▁of ▁intelligence ▁to ▁the ▁Soviet ▁Union , ▁including ▁an ▁Ang lo - American ▁plot ▁to ▁sub vert ▁the ▁commun ist ▁regime ▁of ▁Alban ia . ▁He ▁was ▁also ▁responsible ▁for ▁t ipping ▁off ▁two ▁other ▁sp ies ▁under ▁susp icion ▁of ▁esp ion age , ▁Donald ▁Mac lean ▁and ▁Guy ▁Burg ess , ▁both ▁of ▁whom ▁subsequently ▁fled ▁to ▁Moscow ▁in ▁May ▁ 1 9 5 1 . ▁▁ ▁The ▁defe ctions ▁of ▁Mac lean ▁and ▁Burg ess ▁cast ▁susp icion ▁over ▁Phil by , ▁resulting ▁in ▁his ▁res ignation ▁from ▁M I 6 ▁in ▁July ▁ 1 9 5 1 . ▁He ▁was ▁public ly ▁ex on er ated ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 5 , ▁after ▁which ▁he ▁res umed ▁his ▁career ▁in ▁journal ism ▁in ▁Be ir ut . ▁In ▁January ▁ 1 9 6 3 , ▁having ▁finally ▁been ▁un mask ed ▁as ▁a ▁Soviet ▁agent , ▁Phil