Leighton Buzzard had the biggest telephone exchange in the world 1939-45, handling all telephone and teleprinter communications for the war in Britain, Europe, North Africa and the Far East. Because of this, Group 60, which controlled all the radar for the Battle of Britain, was centred in the town. Five miles away Bletchley Park was set up to monitor German signals, the Met Office was based in Dunstable and the area became the centre for Black Ops, using radio signals and false newspapers to demoralise the enemy. The work of Group 60 saved the country in the Battle of Britain and is credited with shortening the war. All the information about Leighton Buzzard's role in the war was classified until relatively recently. The United States also conducted its black ops from the town from 1942.