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Intelligence Wars: American Secret History from Hitler to Al-Qaeda
This updated edition contains new analysis on the situation in Iraq and the war against terrorism.
Sold over 10,000 copies in hardcover.
No one outside the intelligence services knows more about their culture than Thomas Powers. In this book he tells stories of shadowy successes, ghastly failures, and, more often, gripping uncertainties. They range from the CIA's long cold war struggle with its Russian adversary to debates about the use of secret intelligence in a democratic society, and urgent contemporary issues such as whether the CIA and the FBI can defend America against terrorism.
Sold over 10,000 copies in hardcover.
No one outside the intelligence services knows more about their culture than Thomas Powers. In this book he tells stories of shadowy successes, ghastly failures, and, more often, gripping uncertainties. They range from the CIA's long cold war struggle with its Russian adversary to debates about the use of secret intelligence in a democratic society, and urgent contemporary issues such as whether the CIA and the FBI can defend America against terrorism.
544 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2003
12 people are currently reading
344 people want to read
About the author
Thomas Powers
26 books24 followersThomas Powers is an American author and intelligence expert.
He was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for National Reporting in 1971 together with Lucinda Franks for his articles on Weathermen member Diana Oughton (1942-1970). He was also the recipient of the Olive Branch award in 1984 for a cover story on the Cold War that appeared in The Atlantic, a 2007 Berlin Prize, and for his 2010 book on Crazy Horse the Los Angeles Times Book Prize for History.
He was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for National Reporting in 1971 together with Lucinda Franks for his articles on Weathermen member Diana Oughton (1942-1970). He was also the recipient of the Olive Branch award in 1984 for a cover story on the Cold War that appeared in The Atlantic, a 2007 Berlin Prize, and for his 2010 book on Crazy Horse the Los Angeles Times Book Prize for History.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
December 18, 2007
Intelligence Wars reads like the New York Times Book Review's review of the Cold War. Which for all intents and purposes it is. Dryly intriguing, and turgidly illuminating, worth picking up and putting down, each chapter is self contained, having started life as an article in NYTBR at some point over X's 30 year period as a contributor to the Times Book Review, applying his own deep knowledge of the field to critique the trends in the popular texts of the time.
November 8, 2025
Thomas Powers is a national treasure.
This book (154,000 words) collects 24 previously published essays, most of which were published originally in the New York Review of Books.
I've listed below the chapters comprising Intelligence Wars and appended hyperlinks to those that I think are especially worth reading; next to some I've appended an asterisk or two to designate it's particular excellence.
Where is Thomas Powers today?
What has he published lately?
Can anyone locate his more recent essays?
———————————————————
Introduction (5,050 words) *
1 The Underground Entrepreneur — Bill Donovan (6100 words) *
2 The Conspiracy That Failed — The Plot to Kill Hitler (8000 words) **
3 Founding Father—Allen Dulles (4100 words) *
4 Phantom Spies at Los Alamos — Robert Oppenheimer (6200 words)
5 The Plot Thickens — Whittaker Chambers & Alger Hiss (9400 words) **
6 The Riddle Inside the Enigma — James Angleton (5700 words) **
7 The Bloodless War. (5700 words) *
8 Saving the Shah (3500 words). The Nation, April 12, 1980.
9 And After We’ve Struck Cuba? — Cuban Missile Crisis (4300 words) *
10 "The Heart of the Story." Great essay about Marina & Lee Oswald, but no hyperlink. New York Times Book Review, October 30, 1977. (2500 words). **
11 The Mind of the Assassin Norman Mailer on Oswald. (3200 words)
12 The Interesting One — RFK (6400 words) **
13 Marilyn Was the Least of It (3300 words)
14 Soviet Intentions and Capabilities (2500 words)
15 The Ears of America. The NSA. (4200 words)
16 Notes from Underground. (5700 words). The USS Liberty & NSA. **
17 Doing the Right Thing. William Colby, New York Times Book Review, May 21, 1978 (2700 words).
18 Last of the Cowboys. Bob Woodward & William Casey. (4200 words) *
19 The Bottom Line (9000 words)
20 No Laughing Matter. Aldrich Ames. (4100 words) *
21 Who Won the Cold War?. (7800 words)
22 The Black Arts. Moynihan, JFK & Fidel Castro (5800 words) *
23 The Trouble with the CIA. Osama bin Laden (6900 words) **
24 America’s New Intelligence War. Two-part New York Review essay on FBI & CIA failures. (13,900 words) **
This book (154,000 words) collects 24 previously published essays, most of which were published originally in the New York Review of Books.
I've listed below the chapters comprising Intelligence Wars and appended hyperlinks to those that I think are especially worth reading; next to some I've appended an asterisk or two to designate it's particular excellence.
Where is Thomas Powers today?
What has he published lately?
Can anyone locate his more recent essays?
———————————————————
Introduction (5,050 words) *
1 The Underground Entrepreneur — Bill Donovan (6100 words) *
2 The Conspiracy That Failed — The Plot to Kill Hitler (8000 words) **
3 Founding Father—Allen Dulles (4100 words) *
4 Phantom Spies at Los Alamos — Robert Oppenheimer (6200 words)
5 The Plot Thickens — Whittaker Chambers & Alger Hiss (9400 words) **
6 The Riddle Inside the Enigma — James Angleton (5700 words) **
7 The Bloodless War. (5700 words) *
8 Saving the Shah (3500 words). The Nation, April 12, 1980.
9 And After We’ve Struck Cuba? — Cuban Missile Crisis (4300 words) *
10 "The Heart of the Story." Great essay about Marina & Lee Oswald, but no hyperlink. New York Times Book Review, October 30, 1977. (2500 words). **
11 The Mind of the Assassin Norman Mailer on Oswald. (3200 words)
12 The Interesting One — RFK (6400 words) **
13 Marilyn Was the Least of It (3300 words)
14 Soviet Intentions and Capabilities (2500 words)
15 The Ears of America. The NSA. (4200 words)
16 Notes from Underground. (5700 words). The USS Liberty & NSA. **
17 Doing the Right Thing. William Colby, New York Times Book Review, May 21, 1978 (2700 words).
18 Last of the Cowboys. Bob Woodward & William Casey. (4200 words) *
19 The Bottom Line (9000 words)
20 No Laughing Matter. Aldrich Ames. (4100 words) *
21 Who Won the Cold War?. (7800 words)
22 The Black Arts. Moynihan, JFK & Fidel Castro (5800 words) *
23 The Trouble with the CIA. Osama bin Laden (6900 words) **
24 America’s New Intelligence War. Two-part New York Review essay on FBI & CIA failures. (13,900 words) **
August 19, 2025
Thomas Powers, believed by some to be one of the most knowledgable, if not the most knowledgable person writing about national security and intelligence matters, has written a top shelf book describing just what intelligence activity is supposed to achieve and how it gets achieved sometimes, the rest being chalked up to "good try".
Powers knows what he's talking about. He reminds readers throughout each of his essays about books intelligence insiders and experts have written--at least up to just befor 9/11--that intelligence activity by governments are meant to prepare governments and militaries for war and its battles; that no government ever engages in candor about what it's up to if these governments can hide what they're doing; and true enough, that "there is no stopping a president and his advisers once they have talked themselves into certainty (see, Vietnam and the second Iraq invasion under Bush the Lesser)." At one point, Mr. Powers reminds us that Whitey Bulger selling ("ratting) out other thugs in Boston to the FBI was engaging in work similar, pretty much, to what Robert Hanssen selling secrets to the Soviets--trying to get an advantage financially while giving the governments an advantage in areas of their concern.
Aeschylus reminds us that "God calls men to a heavy reckoning for overwheening pride" but experts and those Presidents and others in elected office who have reached these pillars of glory always know more, or so they believe, than those below who know and report the facts. I agree with Aeschylus and meet with the axioms of the Greek gods who decreed that he who acts as though he were a god will pay the heaviest of all prices in a fall from glory and pride for trying to mimic one of them who are, in fact, the real thing.
Powers provides his insights by a series of essays, or book reviews about books written involding C3I (command, control, communications and intelligence (pronounced 'see-cubed-eye) and 2 excellent chapters concerning SIGINT and ELINT survellience. His review of the 1967 incidents where the Israelis torpedoed and then strafed the USS Liberty who was performing signals survellience in the Israeli-Egyption war in 1967, and then sent their planes back to sink lifeboats and kill as many stranded US sailors. Because Israel was seen as an "ally", reports and information about what should have been an incident that US would have severed relations with Israel were hushed up at the highest level (i.e. the President). One has to question Israel's intent especially in light of what it doing currently in the Gaza.
The reading can be a bit dense but Powers has a light writing style and the depth and breadth of the information he holds about intelligence matter shines through on every page.
Powers knows what he's talking about. He reminds readers throughout each of his essays about books intelligence insiders and experts have written--at least up to just befor 9/11--that intelligence activity by governments are meant to prepare governments and militaries for war and its battles; that no government ever engages in candor about what it's up to if these governments can hide what they're doing; and true enough, that "there is no stopping a president and his advisers once they have talked themselves into certainty (see, Vietnam and the second Iraq invasion under Bush the Lesser)." At one point, Mr. Powers reminds us that Whitey Bulger selling ("ratting) out other thugs in Boston to the FBI was engaging in work similar, pretty much, to what Robert Hanssen selling secrets to the Soviets--trying to get an advantage financially while giving the governments an advantage in areas of their concern.
Aeschylus reminds us that "God calls men to a heavy reckoning for overwheening pride" but experts and those Presidents and others in elected office who have reached these pillars of glory always know more, or so they believe, than those below who know and report the facts. I agree with Aeschylus and meet with the axioms of the Greek gods who decreed that he who acts as though he were a god will pay the heaviest of all prices in a fall from glory and pride for trying to mimic one of them who are, in fact, the real thing.
Powers provides his insights by a series of essays, or book reviews about books written involding C3I (command, control, communications and intelligence (pronounced 'see-cubed-eye) and 2 excellent chapters concerning SIGINT and ELINT survellience. His review of the 1967 incidents where the Israelis torpedoed and then strafed the USS Liberty who was performing signals survellience in the Israeli-Egyption war in 1967, and then sent their planes back to sink lifeboats and kill as many stranded US sailors. Because Israel was seen as an "ally", reports and information about what should have been an incident that US would have severed relations with Israel were hushed up at the highest level (i.e. the President). One has to question Israel's intent especially in light of what it doing currently in the Gaza.
The reading can be a bit dense but Powers has a light writing style and the depth and breadth of the information he holds about intelligence matter shines through on every page.
December 27, 2013
I hovered between three and four stars on this one, but only because when I hover over the four stars goodreads calls it "really liked it" and I'm not sure I felt that strongly about it. The book is very well-written, though, and I'm very glad I read it and thus the landing on 4 stars in the end.
It's a history of US secret intelligence in the form of book reviews spanning from the 1970s to 2004 (in the expanded edition). These aren't just book reviews, though, but essays on the state of the field with various books as framing devices. I found the set-up of the book useful. It broke things down into easily digestible and individual pieces, and the inevitable repetition helped reinforce some points for me. The author's knowledge of this particular branch of history combined with his tempered tone make for satisfying reading. Even where he has an opinion on things he is very clear that there are open questions and that he could be wrong, whereas when there really isn't an open question despite some people insisting that there is, he is willing to say so.
Toward the end, when he's writing about the Iraq war more or less as its happening, it loses some of the measured tone and, of course, some of the sense of perspective over time. He is clearly pretty angry at how that went down. But even there he brings to the subject such a vast knowledge of how the intelligence community works and responds to things that it helped give me some perspective on what might have happened.
It's a history of US secret intelligence in the form of book reviews spanning from the 1970s to 2004 (in the expanded edition). These aren't just book reviews, though, but essays on the state of the field with various books as framing devices. I found the set-up of the book useful. It broke things down into easily digestible and individual pieces, and the inevitable repetition helped reinforce some points for me. The author's knowledge of this particular branch of history combined with his tempered tone make for satisfying reading. Even where he has an opinion on things he is very clear that there are open questions and that he could be wrong, whereas when there really isn't an open question despite some people insisting that there is, he is willing to say so.
Toward the end, when he's writing about the Iraq war more or less as its happening, it loses some of the measured tone and, of course, some of the sense of perspective over time. He is clearly pretty angry at how that went down. But even there he brings to the subject such a vast knowledge of how the intelligence community works and responds to things that it helped give me some perspective on what might have happened.
June 14, 2020
I gave up on this one because it was boring me, which is sad because it is one of the books that has been on my shelf the longest. I didn't realize when I bought it, or maybe I just forgot since I bought it so long ago, but it is really just a collection of book reviews. And that's not really what I was looking for. Clearly Powers is a smart guy who understands the history of intelligence, but there was nothing that grabbed me or made me want to keep reading. So after 150 pages, I'm checking this one off my list and moving on.
June 16, 2016
The title pretty much covers it. This is a history of the United States intelligence organizations from World War II onward. Powers takes an odd approach and relies heavily on other books on the subject. It's a decent overview of how the US has approached the art of espionage in the modern age.
Recommended to anyone interested in this topic, or wanting a general historical overview of the field.
Recommended to anyone interested in this topic, or wanting a general historical overview of the field.
June 10, 2019
One of his chapters begins with, "There are secrets, and then there are secrets..." Mr. Powers correctly identifies what may be the biggest challenge in intelligence: identifying what is genuinely important. Through vignettes of mostly private successes and public blunders, he sketches an interesting outline of this intelligence service. Published only one year into the post 9-11 era, there is an occasional twinge of supposition about the future work of the CIA based on past behavior, a sadly ineffective rubric for any historian or stock broker. As a snapshot in time however, it is a interesting little read.
August 30, 2014
A compilation of edited book reviews for books on the history of the CIA, Intelligence Wars is fascinating but dry. The book could have used perhaps further editing- it would have benefitted from a brief primer to a dizzying cast of characters and historical events which the author in many spots seemed to expect the reader to already know. In other areas, the book repeated some of the same stories and information already given in a prior chapter. Overall, the book was a great overview of a significant part of 20th century history which is usually overlooked. However, it may take dedication to get through some parts, and it leaves us hanging at the beginning of the changes and drama of the Bush II years.
February 17, 2009
Basically just nationalist cheerleading presented as critical investigation. Glosses over nearly all of the major illegal, treasonous crimes committed by the agency that ushered in the violent death of the American Republic and brought you Reagan/Bush. And, if that wasn't enough, it's badly written and really, really boring.
August 19, 2008
basically a collection of book reviews of other books on intelligence...
August 2, 2011
This book gave me a skipping, skimming sort of overview of significant events for the CIA, FBI, and other intelligence organizations since World War II. I learned some things, but by golly it was a slow read.
December 28, 2016
Interesting and quite revealing. I appreciate the essay style and the succinct descriptions.
I took my time with reading and digesting the information.
Very Good read.
I took my time with reading and digesting the information.
Very Good read.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews