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Intelligence in War

The value–and limitations–of what the military can learn about the enemy

Knowledge of the Enemy from Napoleon to Al-Qaeda

Knowledge of the Enemy from Napoleon to Al-Qaeda

Knowledge of the Enemy From Napoleon to Al-Qaeda

By John Keegan

By John Keegan

By John Keegan

By John Keegan

By John Keegan
Read by Simon Prebble

By John Keegan
Read by Simon Prebble

By John Keegan
Read by Richard Matthews

By John Keegan
Read by Richard Matthews

Best Seller
Paperback $17.95

Oct 12, 2004 | ISBN 9780375700460

Ebook $13.99

Oct 28, 2003 | ISBN 9781400041930

Audiobook Download $16.95

Oct 28, 2003 | 552 Minutes

Audiobook Download $24.95

Jul 07, 2003 | 909 Minutes

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    Intelligence in War by John Keegan
    Paperback $17.95
    Oct 12, 2004 | ISBN 9780375700460

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      Oct 12, 2004 | ISBN 9780375700460

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      Oct 28, 2003 | ISBN 9781400041930

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    About Intelligence in War

    A masterly look at the value and limitations of intelligence in the conduct of war from the premier military historian of our time, John Keegan.

    Intelligence gathering is an immensely complicated and vulnerable endeavor. And it often fails. Until the invention of the telegraph and radio, information often traveled no faster than a horse could ride, yet intelligence helped defeat Napoleon. In the twentieth century, photo analysts didn’t recognize Germany’s V-2 rockets for what they were; on the other hand, intelligence helped lead to victory over the Japanese at Midway. In Intelligence in War, John Keegan illustrates that only when paired with force has military intelligence been an effective tool, as it may one day be in besting al-Qaeda.

    About Intelligence in War

    A masterly look at the value and limitations of intelligence in the conduct of war from the premier military historian of our time, John Keegan.

    Intelligence gathering is an immensely complicated and vulnerable endeavor. And it often fails. Until the invention of the telegraph and radio, information often traveled no faster than a horse could ride, yet intelligence helped defeat Napoleon. In the twentieth century, photo analysts didn’t recognize Germany’s V-2 rockets for what they were; on the other hand, intelligence helped lead to victory over the Japanese at Midway. In Intelligence in War, John Keegan illustrates that only when paired with force has military intelligence been an effective tool, as it may one day be in besting al-Qaeda.

    About Intelligence in War

    In fiction, the spy is a glamorous figure whose secrets make or break peace, but, historically, has intelligence really been a vital step to military victories? In this breakthrough study, the preeminent war historian John Keegan goes to the heart of a series of important conflicts to develop a powerful argument about military intelligence.

    In his characteristically wry and perceptive prose, Keegan offers us nothing short of a new history of war through the prism of intelligence. He brings to life the split-second decisions that went into waging war before the benefit of aerial surveillance and electronic communications. The English admiral Horatio Nelson was hot on the heels of Napoleon’s fleet in the Mediterranean and never knew it, while Stonewall Jackson was able to compensate for the Confederacy’s disadvantage in firearms and manpower with detailed maps of the Appalachians. In the past century, espionage and decryption have changed the face of battle: the Japanese surprise attack at the Battle of the Midway was thwarted by an early warning. Timely information, however, is only the beginning of the surprising and disturbing aspects of decisions that are made in war, where brute force is often more critical.

    Intelligence in War is a thought-provoking work that ranks among John Keegan’s finest achievements.

    About Intelligence in War

    In fiction, the spy is a glamorous figure whose secrets make or break peace, but, historically, has intelligence really been a vital step to military victories? In this breakthrough study, the preeminent war historian John Keegan goes to the heart of a series of important conflicts to develop a powerful argument about military intelligence.

    In his characteristically wry and perceptive prose, Keegan offers us nothing short of a new history of war through the prism of intelligence. He brings to life the split-second decisions that went into waging war before the benefit of aerial surveillance and electronic communications. The English admiral Horatio Nelson was hot on the heels of Napoleon’s fleet in the Mediterranean and never knew it, while Stonewall Jackson was able to compensate for the Confederacy’s disadvantage in firearms and manpower with detailed maps of the Appalachians. In the past century, espionage and decryption have changed the face of battle: the Japanese surprise attack at the Battle of the Midway was thwarted by an early warning. Timely information, however, is only the beginning of the surprising and disturbing aspects of decisions that are made in war, where brute force is often more critical.

    Intelligence in War is a thought-provoking work that ranks among John Keegan’s finest achievements.

    Read An Excerpt

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    Read An Excerpt

    Read An Excerpt

    Also by John Keegan

    How War Begins
    The American Civil War
    Winston Churchill
    The Iraq War
    The Second World War
    See all books by John Keegan

    Also by John Keegan

    How War Begins
    The American Civil War
    Winston Churchill
    The Iraq War
    The Second World War
    See all books by John Keegan

    Also by John Keegan

    How War Begins
    The American Civil War
    Winston Churchill
    The Iraq War
    The Second World War
    See all books by John Keegan

    Also by John Keegan

    How War Begins
    The American Civil War
    Winston Churchill
    The Iraq War
    The Second World War
    See all books by John Keegan

    About John Keegan

    John Keegan’s books include The Iraq War, Intelligence in War, The First World War, The Battle for History, The Face of Battle, War and Our World, The Masks of Command, Fields of Battle, and A History of Warfare. He was the defense editor of The… More about John Keegan

    About John Keegan

    John Keegan’s books include The Iraq War, Intelligence in War, The First World War, The Battle for History, The Face of Battle, War and Our World, The Masks of Command, Fields of Battle, and A History of Warfare. He was the defense editor of The… More about John Keegan

    About John Keegan

    John Keegan’s books include The Iraq War, Intelligence in War, The First World War, The Battle for History, The Face of Battle, War and Our World, The Masks of Command, Fields of Battle, and A History of Warfare. He was the defense editor of The… More about John Keegan

    About John Keegan

    John Keegan’s books include The Iraq War, Intelligence in War, The First World War, The Battle for History, The Face of Battle, War and Our World, The Masks of Command, Fields of Battle, and A History of Warfare. He was the defense editor of The… More about John Keegan

    Product Details

    Category: Military History | Technology

    Paperback | $17.95
    Published by Vintage
    Oct 12, 2004 | 432 Pages | 5-3/16 x 8 | ISBN 9780375700460

    Category: Military History | Technology

    Ebook | $13.99
    Published by Vintage
    Oct 28, 2003 | 448 Pages | ISBN 9781400041930

    Category: Audiobooks | Military History | Technology

    Audiobook Download | $16.95
    Published by Random House Audio
    Oct 28, 2003 | 552 Minutes | ISBN 9780739304662

    Category: Audiobooks | Military History | Technology

    Audiobook Download | $24.95
    Published by Random House Audio
    Jul 07, 2003 | 909 Minutes | ISBN 9780736699556

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    Praise

    “Likely to jar the conventional wisdom. . . . Keegan is always a pleasure to read for his wit, insight and style.” –The New York Times Book Review

    “Bracing, meticulous case studies [by] our greatest modern military historian.” –Newsweek

    “Keegan is a . . . treasure. . . . His analysis is as sharp as ever, and it’s all written with his characteristic flair.” –The Christian Science Monitor

    “Thought-provoking. . . . Keegan’s book is a wise corrective, assessing just how useful intelligence has been in battle.” –The Dallas Morning News

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