▁lot ▁of ▁criticism ▁of ▁British ▁journal ists ▁from ▁Franco ▁officers ▁who ▁seemed ▁to ▁think ▁that ▁the ▁British ▁in ▁general ▁must ▁be ▁a ▁lot ▁of ▁Commun ists ▁because ▁so ▁many ▁were ▁fighting ▁with ▁the ▁International ▁Brig ades . ▁After ▁I ▁had ▁been ▁wounded ▁and ▁decor ated ▁by ▁Franco ▁himself , ▁I ▁became ▁known ▁as ▁' the ▁English - decor ated - by - Fran co ' ▁and ▁all ▁sorts ▁of ▁doors ▁opened ▁to ▁me ." ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 3 8 , ▁Walter ▁K riv it sky ▁( born ▁Samuel ▁G ins berg ), ▁a ▁former ▁GR U ▁officer ▁in ▁Paris ▁who ▁had ▁defect ed ▁to ▁France ▁the ▁previous ▁year , ▁travel led ▁to ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁and ▁published ▁an ▁account ▁of ▁his ▁time ▁in ▁" St alin ' s ▁secret ▁service ". ▁He ▁test ified ▁before ▁the ▁Dies ▁Committee ▁( l ater ▁to ▁become ▁the ▁House ▁Un - American ▁Activ ities ▁Committee ) ▁regarding ▁Soviet ▁esp ion age ▁within ▁the ▁United ▁States . ▁In ▁ 1 9 4 0 ▁he ▁was ▁interview ed ▁by ▁M I 5 ▁officers ▁in ▁London , ▁led ▁by ▁Jane ▁Arch er . ▁K riv it sky ▁claimed ▁that ▁two ▁Soviet ▁intelligence ▁agents ▁had ▁pen etr ated ▁the ▁British ▁Foreign ▁Office ▁and ▁that ▁a ▁third ▁Soviet ▁intelligence ▁agent ▁had ▁worked ▁as ▁a ▁journalist ▁for ▁a ▁British ▁newspaper ▁during ▁the ▁civil ▁war ▁in ▁Spain . ▁No ▁connection ▁with ▁Phil by ▁was ▁made ▁at ▁the ▁time , ▁and ▁K riv it sky ▁was ▁found ▁shot ▁in ▁a ▁Washington ▁hotel ▁room