Synopses & Reviews
Battleground Berlin is the definitive, insider's account of the espionage warfare in Berlin between CIA and KGB from 1945 to the construction of the Berlin Wall in 1961. Two intelligence veterans -- major players on opposite sides of the Cold War -- have joined in an unprecedented collaboration to tell the story. Basing their narrative on personal recollections, interviews with other CIA and KGB officers, and documents never before made public, the authors provide a vast number of new details of CIA's infiltration of the new East German intelligence service; the construction, operation, and uncovering of the Berlin tunnel; and many other initiatives and countermoves dealing with the series of crises that racked Berlin and jeopardized an uneasy world peace during this period.
Battleground Berlin illuminates some of the most compelling mysteries of the Cold War, including:
-- what really happened the night the Soviets "discovered" the Berlin Tunnel;
-- who ordered the building of the Berlin Wall -- and why did the West seem so ill prepared;
-- how did infighting among Soviet leaders affect decisionmaking during the most critical moments of the Berlin crisis;
-- how did power struggles between KGB and its protege, the dreaded East German security service, shape the political landscape of East Germany and heighten tension in West Berlin;
-- how much did the famous defector Otto John reveal to KGB -- and why is he still unable to clear his name;
-- and much more.
The book, an operational and organizational history of the world's two most important secret service organizations during a critical time, unveils the vital connection between intelligence gathering andpolitical decisionmaking at the highest levels. Full of intrigue and suspense, it is a story not to be forgotten.
"Written with great authority, original research, skillfull analysis, and a unique perspective, this book tells the definitive story of the U.S.-Soviet intelligence war in Berlin in the first phase of the Cold War". -- Edward Jay Epstein
Synopsis
"Battleground Berlin" covers the era of the Cold War, focusing on activities in Berlin between the CIA and the KGB from 1945 to the construction of the Berlin Wall in 1961. 20 illustrations.
Synopsis
This book is the definitive insiders' account of the espionage warfare in Berlin from 1945 to the construction of the Berlin Wall in 1961. In an unprecedented collaboration, CIA and KGB intelligence veterans reveal previously untold stories of the Berlin tunnel, critical moments of the Berlin crisis, clandestine initiatives, betrayals, and defections to provide the first comprehensive and accurate history of the Cold War battles waged in Berlin.Rarely if ever before has such a complete and authoritative insiders' account of the game of espionage ever been put into a single volume.-Richard Bernstein, New York TimesBattleground Berlin is a captivating book, rich in factual material. It can be recommended not only to specialists in intelligence and foreign policy, but to anyone who is interested in the details of the history of the Cold War.-Oleg Gordievsky, Times Literary SupplementA fascinating and important new account . . . which retells in detail, much of it new, the ways in which Soviet and American intelligence services fought their secret, bloodless war.-Thomas Powers, New York Review of BooksA classic of modern intelligence literature drawn from archives and personal recollections. . . . Moles, double-agents, Soviet antisemitic disinformation campaigns, dead drops, recruitments-the stuff that makes good spy novels, with the welcome blessing of being factual. If you read only one intelligence book this season, make it this one.-Joseph Goulden, Washington Times