From the bestselling author of Lawrence in Arabia—the gripping story of four CIA agents during the early days of the Cold War—and how the United States, at the very pinnacle of its power, managed to permanently damage its moral standing in the world.
“Enthralling … captivating reading.” —The New York Times Book Review
At the end of World War II, the United States was considered the victor over tyranny and a champion of freedom. But it was clear—to some—that the Soviet Union was already seeking to expand and foment revolution around the world, and the American government’s strategy in response relied on the secret efforts of a newly formed CIA. Chronicling the fascinating lives of four agents, Scott Anderson follows the exploits of four spies: Michael Burke, who organized parachute commandos from an Italian villa; Frank Wisner, an ingenious spymaster who directed actions around the world; Peter Sichel, a German Jew who outwitted the ruthless KGB in Berlin; and Edward Lansdale, a mastermind of psychological warfare in the Far East. But despite their lofty ambitions, time and again their efforts went awry, thwarted by a combination of ham-fisted politicking and ideological rigidity at the highest levels of the government.
From the Publisher
Publisher : Vintage
Publication date : May 25, 2021
Edition : Reprint
Language : English
Print length : 608 pages
ISBN-10 : 1101911735
ISBN-13 : 978-1101911730
Item Weight : 1.25 pounds
Dimensions : 5.11 x 1.25 x 7.93 inches
Best Sellers Rank: #53,435 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #19 in Russian & Soviet Politics #52 in Political Intelligence #225 in Political Leader Biographies
Customer Reviews: 4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars (1,480) var dpAcrHasRegisteredArcLinkClickAction; P.when(‘A’, ‘ready’).execute(function(A) ); P.when(‘A’, ‘cf’).execute(function(A) { A.declarative(‘acrStarsLink-click-metrics’, ‘click’, { “allowLinkDefault” : true }, function(event){ if(window.ue) { ue.count(“acrStarsLinkWithPopoverClickCount”, (ue.count(“acrStarsLinkWithPopoverClickCount”) || 0) + 1); } }); });