Historical Dictionary of Intelligence Failures
By (author) Glenmore S. Trenear-Harvey
Publication date:
20 November 2014Length of book:
324 pagesPublisher
Rowman & Littlefield PublishersISBN-13: 9781442232730
An Intelligence failure can be defined where there was intelligence available about a particular event, but either it was not collected or was mishandled later in the assessment cycle, as opposed to the failure of an intelligence operation. The Historical Dictionary of Intelligence Failures covers the history of intelligence failures through a chronology, an introductory essay, an extensive bibliography, and over 100 cross-referenced dictionary entries on the Ardennes Offensive, the Six Day War, and the Cuban Missile Crisis, the Prague Spring, the Arab Spring, 9/11. This book is an excellent access point for students, researchers, and anyone wanting to know more about the intelligence industry.
Harvey, editor in chief of World Intelligence Review and author of The Historical Dictionary of Air Intelligence, provides readers with an excellent counterpoint to the many incidents of successful intelligence operations with this new work focusing on the opposite. Part of the publisher's series on 'Historical Dictionaries of Intelligence and Counterintelligence,' this volume is important for understanding the scope of 'intelligence failure,' which the author defines as a situation in which intelligence about a particular event is available but is not collected or is mishandled during some part of the assessment cycle. The volume presents an A–Z dictionary organization with an excellent bibliography, a chronology, well over 100 cross-referenced entries, and a list of acronyms and abbreviations. An appendix provides a heavily redacted CIA document titled 'Misreading Intentions.' The range of topics is cosmopolitan: the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, Operation Barbarossa, the bombing of the Chinese embassy in Belgrade, the Detroit Bomber, Dien Bien Phu, Irangate, the attempt on the life of Pope John Paul II, Vasili Mitrokhin, the Tet Offensive, and the Arab Spring. This title is well worth owning and makes a wonderful companion to others in the series, especially the Historical Dictionary of United States Intelligence, by Michael Turner. Summing Up: Highly recommended. All academic audiences; general readers and professionals/practitioners.