“An Imperial History of the CIA” – with Hugh Wilford

Summary
Hugh Wilford joins Andrew (X (twitter.com/spyhistorian); LinkedIn (linkedin.com/in/andrew-hammond-09344936)) (linkedin.com/in/andrew-hammond-09344936) to discuss his new book. Hugh is a professor, author, and leading CIA historian.

What You’ll Learn
Intelligence

• Imperial influences on American intelligence

• Key figures in CIA history

• “Wild” Bill Donovan & British influence

• Groton School’s impact on CIA leaders

Reflections

• Inherited history

• Challenging established narratives

And much, much more …

Resources
SURFACE SKIM
*Spotlight Resource*
•
The CIA: An Imperial History, Hugh Wilford (Basic Books, 2024)
*SpyCasts*

•
The British Monarchy and Secret Intelligence (thecyberwire.com/podcasts/spycast/619/notes) with Rory Cormac and Richard Aldrich (2024)

•
The Past 75 Years (thecyberwire.com/podcasts/spycast/558/notes) with Historian of the CIA Rhodri Jeffreys-Jones (2022)

•
The 75th Anniversary of the CIA (thecyberwire.com/podcasts/spycast/557/notes) with former Director Robert Gates (2022)

DEEPER DIVE
Books

•
A Question of Standing: The History of the CIA, R. Jeffreys-Jones (Oxford University Press, 2022)

•
Spymasters: CIA Directors, C. Whipple (S&S, 2020)

•
A Brief History of the CIA, R. Immerman (Wiley, 2014)

Primary Sources

•
Sherman Kent Obituary (cia.gov/readingroom/docs/CIA-RDP91-00587R00010…) (1986)

•
Maj. Gen. Edward G. Lansdale to go to South Vietnam (cia.gov/readingroom/docs/CIA-RDP75-00001R00030…) (1965)

•
CIA Review of the World Situation (trumanlibrary.gov/public/TrumanCIA_WorldSituat…) (1947)

•
Lester to Truman re Centralized Intelligence (trumanlibrary.gov/public/TrumanCIA_SusanLester…) (1947)

•
National Security Act (global.oup.com/us/companion.websites/978019538…) (1947)

•
Intelligence Remarks of Major General William J. Donovan (cia.gov/readingroom/docs/CIA-RDP80B01676R00250…) (1946)

*Wildcard Resource*

•
Kim (archive.org/details/kim_____00kipl) (1901) by Rudyard Kipling

• As Hugh mentions in this interview, this book was the inspiration behind Kermit Roosevelt Jr.’s nickname, Kim. Harold Adrian Russell Philby, the infamous member of the Cambridge Spy Ring (bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/spies_cambr…) better known as Kim Philby (britannica.com/biography/Kim-Philby), took inspiration from the same source.