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French external spying suffered greatly in reputation after the failures to predict Germany's invasion routes in 1940. After World War II, France developed the General Directorate for External Security (DGSE), which became the equivalent to MI6 in Britain. Notable successes included accurately predicting the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, which the CIA had failed to anticipate, and uncovering Europe's largest technology spying network.
The Directorate of Territorial Security, which developed after World War II, and succeed by the General Directorate for Internal Security (DGSI or initially the DCRI; since 2008) has led France's internal spying and anti-terrorism efforts within France. The DGSI also merged aspects of the General Intelligence Directorate, which also had responsibilities for internal security, although it was an arm more for the police. French internal espionage often concentrated on networks within France trying to steal technology. However, a notable success came in 1981, when the notable Soviet KGB spy Vladimir Vetrov switched sides and gave France thousands of documents that helped it uncover KGB officers stationed worldwide. It was one of the greatest successes for France in the Cold War. However, it also participated in internal espionage. Once its agents were caught posing as plumbers as they were trying to install listening devices in a newspaper critical of the government. This led to the downfall of the interior minister.
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