Product Description

If the experts could point to any single book as a starting point for understanding the subject of intelligence from the late twentieth century to today, that single book would be Allen W. Dulles's The Craft of Intelligence. This classic of spycraft is based on Allen Dulles's incomparable experience as a diplomat, international lawyer, and America's premier intelligence officer. Dulles was a high-ranking officer of the CIA's predecessor-the Office of Strategic Services-and was present at the inception of the CIA, where he served eight of his ten years there as director. Here he sums up what he learned about intelligence from nearly a half-century of experience in foreign affairs.
In World War II his OSS agents penetrated the German Foreign Office, worked with the anti-Nazi underground resistance, and established contacts that brought about the Nazi military surrender in North Italy. Under his direction the CIA developed both a dedicated corps of specialists and a whole range of new intelligence devices, from the U-2 high-altitude photographic plane to minute electronic listening and transmitting equipment.
Dulles reveals much about how intelligence is collected and processed, and how the resulting estimates contribute to the formation of national policy. He discusses methods of surveillance, and the usefulness of defectors from hostile nations. His knowledge of Soviet espionage techniques is unrivaled, and he explains how the Soviet State Security Service recruited operatives and planted "illegals" in foreign countries. He spells out not only the techniques of modern espionage but also the philosophy and role of intelligence in a free society threatened by global conspiracies.
Dulles also addresses the Bay of Pigs incident, denying that the 1961 invasion was based on a CIA estimate that a popular Cuban uprising would ensue. This account is enlivened with a wealth of personal anecdotes. It is a book for readers who seek wider understanding of the contribution of intelligence to our national security.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #14575 in Books
• Published on: 2006-04-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 304 pages

Review
"Well-organized, informative . . . When he talks about the CIA, its Russian counterparts, and specific examples of fiascoes and coups, the reader will certainly snap to attention."--The New Yorker

"The Craft of Intelligence is one of the most fascinating books of our time."--Washington Post

"Brilliantly selective candor."--New York Times
-- Review

Review
"Well organized, informative . . . When he talks about the CIA, its Russian counterparts, and specific examples of fiascoes and coups, the reader will certainly snap to attention."--The New Yorker

"The Craft of Intelligence is one of the most fascinating books of our time."--Washington Post

"Brilliantly selective candor."--The New York Times

From the Back Cover
If the experts could point to any single book as a source for understanding twentieth-century intelligence, that book would be Allen W. Dulles's The Craft of Intelligence. This classic of spycraft is based on Dulles's incomparable experience as a diplomat, international lawyer, and America's premier intelligence officer. Dulles was a high-ranking officer of the CIA's predecessor - the Office of Strategic Services - and served eight years as director of the newly created CIA.
In The Craft of Intelligence, Dulles reveals how intelligence is collected and processed, and how the results contribute to the formation of national policy. He discusses methods of surveillance and the usefulness of defectors from hostile nations. His knowledge of Cold War Soviet espionage techniques is unrivaled, and he explains how the Soviet State Security Service recruited operatives and planted "illegals" in foreign countries. In an account enlivened with a wealth of personal anecdotes, Dulles also addresses the Bay of Pigs incident, denying that the 1961 invasion was based on a CIA estimate that a popular Cuban uprising would ensue. He spells out not only the techniques of modern espionage but also the philosophy and role of intelligence in a free society threatened by global conspiracies.This is a book for readers who seek wider understanding of the contribution of intelligence to our national security.

Customer Reviews

Best Fundamental Introduction to CIA or the Intelligence Process in General
This book by the first head of the CIA is a great introduction or overview of the basics of intelligence (with some tradecraft) and the collection and analytical cycles.

It is broad in scope. It covers most all of the bases. The detail and explanation in the foundations and fundamentals are there for the beginning student. If you read one book on intelligence - this is probably it. The focus of this book is on HUMINT.

It's Dulles in his own words
It's an interesting historical document, just because of the place in history that Mr. Dulles had.

The style of the book is more that of interesting dinner conversation, almost as if Dulles were a guest in your home for an evening with mixed company; nothing important or real is to be found in the pages of The Craft of Intelligence, it's all pleasant conversation; it kind of makes you cringe when reading Dulles' smooth and pleasant account, if you have read in other books, the kind of bloodshed and horror that really happened.

Very Superficial, Dated and Basically worthless
Did you really think Allen Dulles would give us the beef ? This book is akin to a joke as far as content goes and I really think it is meant to hold coffee tables down rather than be read. Revelations such as "Most countries have 2 intelligence services rather than 1" and foreign hotel rooms reserved for dignitaries are usually bugged in the Soviet Union are shocking deep revelations typical of this poor excuse of a book. Buy it used if you must or better yet, peruse it at a library first and you will see it is worthless.