Need to Know

World War II and the Rise of American Intelligence

By: Nicholas Reynolds

Narrated by: Fred Sanders

Historian and former CIA officer Nicholas Reynolds, the New York Times bestselling author of Writer, Sailor, Soldier, Spy, uncovers the definitive history of American intelligence during World War II, illuminating its key role in securing victory.

“Need to Know is the most thorough and detailed history available on the origins of U.S. intelligence.” —Michael Morell, former Deputy Director and Acting Director, CIA

The entire vast modern American intelligence system—the amalgam of three-letter spy services of many stripes—can be traced back to the dire straits that Britain faced at the end of June 1940. Before World War II, the US had no organization to recruit spies and steal secrets or launch secret campaigns against enemies overseas. It was only through Winston Churchill’s determination to mobilize the US to help in their fight against Hitler that the first American spy service was born, one that was built by scratch in the background of WWII.

In Need to Know, former CIA analyst and trained historian Nicholas Reynolds explores the birth, infancy, and adolescence of modern American intelligence. In this first definitive account, Reynolds combines little-known history and gripping spy stories to analyze the American codebreakers’ and spies’ origins and contributions to Allied victory, revealing how they laid the foundation for the Cold War—and all other conflicts to come.

Supplemental enhancement PDF accompanies the audiobook.

Lots of information

Poor narration made book unappealing. He read all the words. Very dry information. People were mentioned once yet never connected by purpose or meaningful contributions to the project.

Excellent US secret intelligence development

Well written look at the development of secret intelligence development in the US in and following WWII. The book also gives insight in the destructive effects of people competing for personal power at the expense of progress.

Text Book Like

This book is very informative and broad, names, dates. To get a lot of value, it will require multiple listens.
Great for intelligence historians, good context for people with interest in the present day intelligence space.

Verryyyy sssllllooowww

Story was very slow, not captivating at all. Unfortunately the narrator made it worse. I’ve listened to hundreds of audiobooks. I hate to say this narrator was the worst.