Intelligence Is For Commanders

by Robert Rigby Glass, Phillip B. Davidson

189 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1948

Reviews

[Jwduke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Do not read this book if you are interested in digital intelligence only. This is a historical book. If you are trying to learn military intelligence, this book is still relevant bc not much has changed. True intelligence now uses digital systems instead of analog systems; but you should always have an analog back up and the principles of intelligence haven't changed. This is proven by the fact that much in this book, such as he intelligence cycle, is still found in doctrine to this day.

I was fortunate to get this book with the back envelope containing he first example of IPB that I have seen. I was stoked to read this relevant piece of rare history.

[Ted · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting read. This one is from '48 and, along with the '46 "Front-Line Intelligence," provides a thorough look at the status of MI in the immediate post-WWII era. Both are written on the foundation of lessons learned during the war, but "Intelligence for Commanders" reads as a formal instructional text while "Front-Line Intelligence" reads more like a sit-down discussion over a beer with an MI veteran.

"Intelligence is for Commanders" may be the very first explicit discussion of the intelligence cycle, along with an illustration of it as such. At least from my personal perspective, I haven't seen any clear discussion of the intel cycle earlier than '48. Interestingly, the '51 version of FM 30-5 Combat Intelligence mentions the "operational cycle of intelligence," but only talks around it and is nowhere near as explicit about an intelligence cycle as this earlier book.

I also have a 1936 Infantry School text on Combat Intelligence, but there is no mention of an intel cycle or even the implied mention of the '51 FM 30-5 "operational cycle of intelligence." I haven't seen the '40 or '46 versions of FM 30-5, so I don't know if the mention in the '51 version is the first official step towards integrating the intel cycle into MI doctrine or not. It appears there is a pretty good case for "Intelligence is for Commanders" being the first presentation of the intel cycle, at least for US Army MI, if not broadly for US Intelligence.