Intelligence in War The value--and limitations--of what the military can learn about the enemy

John Keegan, whose many books, including classic histories of the two world wars, have confirmed him as the premier miltary historian of our time, here presents a masterly look at the value and limitations of intelligence in the conduct of war. 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. InIntelligence 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.

John Keegan’s books include <i>The First World War, The Battle for History, The Face of Battle, War and Our World, The Mask of Command, Fields of Battle</i> and A<i> History of Warfare</i>. He is the defense editor of <i>The</i> <i>Daily Telegraph</i> (London). He lives in Wiltshire, England.<br><br><br><i>From the Hardcover edition.</i>