Spying for America: The Hidden History of U.S. Intelligence - Softcover

Miller seeks to correct the common wisdom that U.S. military intelligence didn't amount to much until WW II. His chronicle begins with an account of George Washington as spymaster during the Revolutionary War. Although he demythologizes such supposed paragons as Nathan Hale and Belle Boyd, Miller takes an admiring look at some of the men and women who performed valuable service with a minimum of government support. After reaching its low point during the Mexican-American War (the War Department sent the campaigners a map of Mexico torn from an atlas), U.S. military intelligence entered its professional era during the Spanish-American War with Ralph Van Deman's intelligence bureau. Calling him the father of modern intelligence, Miller points out in passing that Van Deman also initiated the kind of domestic snooping that has led to civil-rights infringements ever since. Other pre-WW II figures include Herbert O. Yardley, whose code-breaking service during the 1920s was abruptly shut down by Secretary of State Henry Stimson with the immortal comment that gentlemen do not read each other's mail. The book's take on U.S. intelligence activities through WW II to the Iran- contra affair is adequate but undistinguished. Photos.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.

A very readable and comprehensive overview of the use of intelligence since the American Revolution, written by a former reporter for the Baltimore Sun . Beginning with the well-known tale of John Honeyman and ending with Oliver North, the narrative is straightforward, and the coverage is comprehensive and well focused. While no new ground is broken, it provides an excellent starting point for the neophyte and is sufficiently annotated to provide access to more detailed studies. The first half of the book treats the use of intelligence to support military operations. The second half looks at intelligence in the postwar period with the major emphasis on covert operations. An excellent history.
- George W. Price, Defense Intelligence Agency, Washington , D.C.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.