Intelligence in War

Knowledge of the Enemy From Napoleon to Al-Qaeda

By: John Keegan

Narrated by: Richard Matthews

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.

Critic reviews

“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

Interesting, knowledgeable and well read

He using specific times in history to show the how intelligence impacted decisions. He shows how, in many cases, the impact of intelligence is overrated and that battle are won in the field.

The narrator is fine.

Essential for those Interested in Military History

Would you listen to Intelligence in War again? Why?

This book provides a gripping approach to the background and information surrounding famous campaign/battles. You don't always get all the information on the first listen, so listening to the audio book another time ensures you pick up all the facts.

What did you like best about this story?

The information is well researched, which make the conclusions drawn from this information legitimate and believable.

Which scene was your favorite?

My favorite parts were the two case studies on the WWII Battles of Crete and Midway. Both exemplify the limits and importance of intelligence in war.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

This is the type of book best done in parts. Since each battle/campaign has different key players, history, and background information, you need time to sit on the information you've taken in.

Any additional comments?

Great book for military history buffs!

Interesting read, well narrated.

Interesting perspective on intelligence and its relationship to war. Case studies were varied and supported Keegan's thesis well. Narration was excellent.

Military history more than history of intelligence

John Keegan is always an interesting writer. A good story teller. A good conveyer of fact. However, this book is mistitled. It is not a history of intelligence in war, it is a history of war with a bit of intelligence stuff thrown in for spice. It is an enjoyable book, but somewhat of a letdown if you are looking for the "spy" stuff.

One thing that Keegan does very well though, in the lengthy stories he tells, is to give you an appreciation of the limited value of intelligence in actual battlefield decisionmaking. Which may be why the stories are more about battlefield & strategic events than spying. The intelligence gathering brings forward useful information to commanders, but in the end is usually so stale or easily misinterpreted ... or quickly made obsolete by battlefield actions ... that its value is over-rated in the popular literature. Keegan proves these points repeatedly.

Needs a different title

The title rather implies that the scope would. Not focus on Europe and the 20th century. Keegan is the best so it is worthwhile just not as expected.