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Secret Wars: One Hundred Years Of British Intelligence Inside MI5 And MI6 (2009)

by Gordon Thomas(Favorite Author)

3.51 of 5 Votes: 2

ISBN

0312379986 (ISBN13: 9780312379988)

languge

English

genre

History & Biography

publisher

Thomas Dunne Books

review 1: Some have declared this to be a "history" of Britain's spy agencies, which is a bit much for such a poorly organized book. Not only does Thomas fail to follow a chronological narrative (some history!), he doesn't even stick with MI5 & MI6! There are long sequences about the CIA, as well as chapters on Mossad and South Africa's germ warfare program. And, despite his claims to access to newly discovered information, most of this book covers ground from the Cold War and War on Terror that you could have learned elsewhere. There's very little in here about the agencies' founding or their performance in WW1 and WW2. Thomas doesn't even make much of an effort to differentiate between MI5 & MI6, although the British often don't either (the Brits don't maintain the tortured divisi... moreon between their domestic and foreign intelligence agencies, as is the case with the CIA and FBI). Organizationally, the book is a messStill, Thomas does give the reader plenty of fun information, despite his chaotic presentation. Intelligence agencies often take on the characteristics of their nations and Britain's are no different. MI5 & MI6 are discrete and clubby organizations, smaller than you would expect, but still able to exercise an outsize influence. (By contrast, the CIA is a big loudmouthed ego that can't keep secrets and survives on a combination of money, technology, and its status as a superpower. Lose any one of those, and we're in trouble). And, they aren't afraid to perform the odd assassination or seduction in order to accomplish their mission: protection of The Realm.
review 2: More than MI 5/6 this book is about world events/history for the past 100 years-behind the scenes-connect the dots. Lots of fascinating stuff here. Should have used some photos of the players-none provided. Some stuff that leaped out at me: his admiration of Richard Clarke, Clinton Bush National Counterterrorism Coordinator,who had a falling out with the Whitehouse; the many suspicious deaths of the world's leading microbiologists to include UK's Dr David Kelly; defection of Iran's leading spy to UK and USA; and Chinese and Russian cyber war capabilities far superior to those of the West. less

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