ALLEN DULLES: MASTER OF SPIES - by James Srodes, to be published by Regnery Publishing, Washington DC. At present still in the stage of an uncorrected proof, this book is expected to be published later this year. Allen Dulles was at the forefront in building a US espionage service even before World War II. The book promises not only to cover Dulles' contributions in World War II, but his role as an active intelligence agent against Hitler before the war; and also includes tidbits on Dulles family's relationship with Alger Hiss, and even the Bay of Pigs. We shall await publication to read the final product and review. (RoyJ)
Reviewed in AFIO Weekly Intelligence Notes #13-99, 2 April 99
ALLEN DULLES : MASTER OF SPIES, by James Srodes, Regnery, 1999. - Allen Dulles' service to US intelligence spanned more than four decades -- from the era of Wilsonian idealism to the fight against the Nazi's and then to most frigid years of the Cold War. His remarkable story is engrossingly told by James Srodes, who drew heavily upon the Dulles papers at Princeton University as well as upon interviews with his old spook friends, who admired Dulles' prowess as a hands-on intelligence officer even when he was the DCI - - Dulles energetically toured CIA stations abroad rather than sitting behind his desk.
Dulles started his career after graduating from Princeton University in 1915, filled with Wilsonian idealism, in the State Department in 1915. After the war, he turned to Wall Street where he built up a network of contacts that served him well when he worked for the OSS during the 1940's, operating out of Switzerland. Mr. Srodes devotes major space to the OSS period, providing a keen insight into the daily activities of a working intelligence officer. After the war he helped to create the CIA and served as DCI from 1953 until 1961, "the golden era of CIA's clandestine war against the Soviets," relatively unhampered by either Congressional or media attention. In 1961 President Kennedy shoved him aside as the Bay of Pigs scapegoat, and he spent the next 24 years in reduced circumstances living off his government pension, suffering from acute gout and hypertension, and supporting his son Allen, a Marine officer who was gravely wounded in Korea.
Allen Dulles lived before the era of political correctness, and he was an ardent admirer and lover of women, who found his hearty humor, robust spirit and athletic sexuality enticing. Mr Srodes speculates that a man with his bedroom record could not be hired by the current CIA, but notes that his paramours were social equals, not subordinates, and most remained "firm friends after the fires had gone out."
(Excerpted from review by Joseph Goulden, WashTimes Jul 6th,'99, p.A15) (RJ)
Reviewed in AFIO Weekly Intelligence Notes #27-99, July 8, 1999
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