Description
Book SynopsisIn World War I and the Origins of U.S. Military Intelligence, military historian James L. Gilbert provides an authoritative overview of the birth of modern Army intelligence. Following the natural division of the intelligence war, which was fought on both the home front and overseas, Gilbert traces the development and use of intelligence and counterintelligence through the eyes of their principal architects: General Dennis E. Nolan and Colonel Ralph Van Deman.Gilbert explores how on the home front, US Army counterintelligence faced both internal and external threats that began with the Army's growing concerns over the loyalty of resident aliens who were being drafted into the ranks and soon evolved into the rooting out of enemy saboteurs and spies intent on doing great harm to America's war effort. To achieve their goals, counterintelligence personnel relied upon major strides in the areas of code breaking and detection of secret inks. Overseas, the intelligence effort proved far more
Trade ReviewOutside of the combat arms--the infantry, artillery, and armor elements--the US public has little idea of the complexity of the US Army. One of the least-known but most significant branches is military intelligence. Gilbert, a former staff historian with the Army Security Agency, examines the evolution of the intelligence branch in this new study. Up to the 20th century, the Army's intelligence operations centered on the cavalry and Indian Scouts who conducted reconnaissance, even as late as 1916 in Mexico. By then, however, the US Army realized something had to be done to modernize their capability to collect information and refine data for US field commanders. Gilbert's groundbreaking analysis offers readers a rare glimpse into the growth of military intelligence, including counterintelligence, propaganda, communication security, and code breaking. On a tactical level, the army gathered information concerning the German order of battle along the Western Front. From that humble start, modern military intelligence has advanced technologically to become one of the critical components of the modern US Army. Gilbert's study is indispensible for anyone interested in the early history of US military intelligence. Summing Up: Essential. All levels/libraries. * CHOICE *
This book is highly recommended for historians, libraries with military history collections, and others interested in this aspect of U.S. military history. * American Reference Books Annual *
As World War I broke out, the U.S. Army was but a constabulary army lacking the staff officers required to organize and support a European style army. One glaring deficiency was its inability to gather and evaluate military intelligence, both at the strategic and tactical levels, and undertake the protection of its own operational plans. Thanks to President Woodrow Wilson’s mandate that the War Department would be neutral in both thought and actions concerning the war in Europe, the Army found itself at the beginning of 1917 without adequate intelligence staff resources to meet the needs of modern warfare. The author of this book tells a riveting story of how the Army overcame this intelligence gathering and evaluating deficiency and created, between April 1917 and November 1918, a competent internal Military Intelligence Division. . . . It is a book well worth reading and pondering. * The Journal of America's Military Past *
As an organizational history, Gilbert's book is superb. He follows both Nolan and Deman throughout their careers in intelligence—Deman as the head of MIS, Nolan as the American Expeditionary Force's G2, or head of Intelligence. ... Where the book really shines is in the discussion of counterespionage within the United States, which Gilbert says was "without a doubt, MID's greatest contribution." He lays out a number of sabotage plots that MID agents, many of them ex-policemen, defeated or even prevented. This particular aspect of World War I is far less known than the more traditional histories of combat overseas. ... [I]t is an excellent resource for more seasoned historians or for graduate students who already have a strong grasp of World War I and the basics of intelligence gathering and dissemination. * H-Net: Humanities and Social Science Reviews Online *
James Gilbert’s new book is a welcome addition to the material that has been published in recent years on the evolution of US intelligence processes and organizations during the 20th century. * Intelligence in Public Literature *
Gilbert's World War I and the Origins of U.S. Military Intelligence . . . is a valuable contribution. * Journal Of Intelligence History *
Gilbert deserves credit for tracking down sometimes obscure and hard-to-obtain material. World War I and the Origins of U.S. Military Intelligence will undoubtedly be a useful introduction for the military historian unfamiliar with intelligence history, or the cryptologist unfamiliar with the broader subject of military intelligence in World War I. * Cryptologia *
James Gilbert provides a fine accounting of the frustrating beginnings of Army Military Intelligence. His descriptions provide the reader a good look at the successes and failures of an organization just beginning to come into its own. * The Strategy Bridge *
Table of ContentsForeword Preface Chapter 1. Steps to War The Signal Corps The War in Europe Two Captains Small Steps by the Signal Corps The First Shots in the Intelligence War An Early Test South of the Border Chapter 2. America Enters the War Military Intelligence Section The Bigger Picture A Counterintelligence Problem District of Columbia Corps of Intelligence Police Countersubversion The Civilian Sector The Advent of Yardley Reports and More Reports Censorship An Interim Judgment Chapter 3. Intelligence and the AEF The Information Division A Downed Airship Secret Service Division Topography Division Censorship Division New Year’s Eve Chapter 4. Securing the Home Front Organizing Counterintelligence Counterintelligence in Action Intelligence Gathering Secret Inks More Reports Finishing the Course Propaganda Attachés Code Making Negative Branch The Final Report Chapter 5. Tested Under Fire Intelligence in the Field Intelligence within Division The Corps Army Headquarters GHQ: Filling the Void Stars and Stripes Combat Artists Securing the Force Making the Airwaves Secure Course of the War Chapter 6. Coming to a Close First Army Arrival of Van Deman St. Mihiel Meuse-Argonne Security The Use of Intelligence Peace Talks Final Evaluation Chapter 7. The Aftermath Peace Conference Sideshows At Home A Glimpse into the Future Appendix A: MI Divisions in the War Department Appendix B: Radio Tractor Units Appendix C: G2 Organization at GHQ Appendix D: First Army Observation/Photo Air Service Appendix E: First Army Signals Intelligence Stations Appendix F: First Army Security Service Monitoring Stations Bibliography Index About the Author
