The expression Second Office indicates commonly the intelligence services army, in reference to the Second Office of the general Staff of which it was a component. The Sr-War French was created in 1871.

The Second Office was directed by the colonel Jean Sandherr between 1886 and 1895, then Georges Picquart between 1895 and 1896, and Hubert-Joseph Henry of 1897 to 1898.

The second office was implied in the Affaire Dreyfus.

During the Second world war, the second office is officially dissolved. The intelligence services of Vichy are transferred partially to the governmental Information center (IGC), under the direction of François Darlan, while are set up completely clandestine structures partially or: Office of carried out antinational (BMA), Work rural (TR)…

At the same time, the free France sets up, in London, its own intelligence service, the central Bureau of information and action (BCRA), under the direction of the Colonel Passy.

The former director of the second office, the colonel Louis Rivet, manages to join together most of manpower within the Bureau of Carried out Antinational the (B.M.A). Officially, this service is in charge of the repression of the communist activities and the fight against the resistant ones. It is also used as cover with clandestine activities. In the same way, military against-espionage continues to operate, in particular the Entreprise Rural Work, entrusted to the commander Paul Paillole. In August 1942, the BMA are dissouts by Pierre Laval. Paillole, passed to Algiers, continues its clandestine activity in liasison with its services remained in metropolis: TR and young TR in particular. It also sets up a Military Security service.

At the time of the bringing together Giraud - de Gaulle, the French Comité of the national Release orders the fusion of the BCRA and the intelligence services of Rivet in a new structure, the Head office of the special services (DGSS). Opposed to the conditions of this fusion, Louis Rivet resigns.

The DGSS becomes the Head office of the studies and research (DGER) in 1944. In 1945, it is replaced by the Service of external documentation and against-espionage (SDECE), which will become DGSE in 1982.

Homonymy

• In Africa it is a metaphor to designate a concubine compared to the wife.

External bonds

• Historical on site of the government