CIA: The Inside Story

by Andrew Tully ‧ RELEASE DATE: N/A

In this first full-length history of our country's master international intelligence service, Andrew Tully takes stock of CIA's meaning and position in a democratic society. In the forefront of any consideration of the Agency is, of course, the personal record of Allen Welsh Dulles, ""the nation's first career spy,"" who as CIA's third director developed and established what have become the modus operandi and character of the Agency. Tully devotes much space to Dulles' merits and limitations, concluding that although the man's zeal may often have overcome his best judgment, his ""dedication to public service has always been most profound"". Little-known statistics on CIA's new headquarters in Langley, Virginia, offer a good clue to the enormity of its resource: the Langley home-base occupies a nine acre airconditioned building served by 21 acres of parking lots and two miles of roads, and costs ""a little more than 46 million"". Military and political comments concerning CIA's accomplishments and fiascos are drawn from a wide range of opinion both pro and con. Cuba, Suez, Iran, the Congo, Formosa, Guatemala, Poland, Hungary, West Berlin, and most of the other scenes in which CIA has played a part since World War II are studied from both strategic and tactical angles. The result is a well-rounded, report on operations in ""a world which does not take the United States government into its confidence"".

Pub Date: N/A

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Morrow

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 1961

Categories: NONFICTION