The CIA: An Imperial History

The CIA was created in 1947 to analyze foreign intelligence, but quickly became an instrument of a new covert empire. Hugh Wilford's book explores how the Agency was part of a larger picture, the history of Western empire, and how it adopted unaccountable power and secrecy both at home and abroad.

Format: Hardback
Length: 384 pages
Publication date: 06 June 2024
Publisher: John Murray Press

The United States emerged as the preeminent global force following the conclusion of World War II in 1947. To bolster its newfound global prominence, the U.S. established the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) in 1947 to analyze foreign intelligence. However, within a short period, the Agency expanded its operations to include supporting pro-American governments, overthrowing nationalist leaders, and surveilling anti-imperial dissenters within the U.S.

While the Cold War was a significant factor in this transformation, it was not the sole one. In his comprehensive book, The CIA, celebrated intelligence historian Hugh Wilford presents the Agency as part of a broader historical context, the history of Western empire. While young CIA officers aspired to emulate British imperial agents like T.E. Lawrence, successive U.S. presidents utilized the covert powers of the Agency to conceal overseas interventions from both postcolonial foreigners and anti-imperial Americans. Even the CIA's post-9/11 global pursuit of terrorists was haunted by the legacies of past empires.

The CIA is a compelling and original narrative that provides the most comprehensive account yet of how America embraced unaccountable power and secrecy both domestically and internationally. It sheds light on the complex web of relationships and conflicts that shaped the Agency's development and its impact on the world. This book is a must-read for anyone interested in understanding the history and implications of the CIA.

Weight: 606g
Dimension: 211 x 400 x 37 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781399816847