The ghost

Description:

CIA spymaster James Jesus Angleton was one of the most powerful unelected officials in the United States government in the mid-20th century, a ghost of American power. From World War II to the Cold War, Angleton operated beyond the view of the public, Congress, and even the president. In The Ghost, investigative reporter Jefferson Morley tells Angleton's dramatic story. From the agency's MKULTRA mind-control experiments to the wars of the Mideast, Angleton wielded far more power than anyone knew. Yet during his seemingly lawless reign in the CIA, he also proved himself to be a formidable adversary to our nation's enemies, acquiring a mythic stature within the CIA that continues to this day. -- Adapted from book jacket. "CIA spymaster James Jesus Angleton was one of the most powerful unelected officials in the United States government in the mid-20th century, a ghost of American power. From World War II to the Cold War, Angleton operated beyond the view of the public, Congress, and even the president. He unwittingly shared intelligence secrets with Soviet spy Kim Philby, a member of the notorious Cambridge spy ring. He launched mass surveillance by opening the mail of hundreds of thousands of Americans. He abetted a scheme to aid Israel's own nuclear efforts, disregarding U.S. security. He committed perjury and obstructed the JFK assassination investigation. He oversaw a massive spying operation on the antiwar and black nationalist movements and he initiated an obsessive search for communist moles that nearly destroyed the Agency. In The Ghost, investigative reporter Jefferson Morley tells Angleton's dramatic story, from his friendship with the poet Ezra Pound through the underground gay milieu of mid-century Washington to the Kennedy assassination to the Watergate scandal. From the agency's MKULTRA mind-control experiments to the wars of the Mideast, Angleton wielded far more power than anyone knew. Yet during his seemingly lawless reign in the CIA, he also proved himself to be a formidable adversary to our nation's enemies, acquiring a mythic stature within the CIA that continues to this day."--Dust jacket flap.

subjects: United States,  Intelligence officers,  Officials and employees,  United States. Central Intelligence Agency,  Intelligence service,  Biography,  History,  United states, central intelligence agency,  Intelligence service, united states,  Intelligence officers, biography,  Espionage,  Biography .,  BIOGRAPHY & AUTOBIOGRAPHY,  Political,  POLITICAL SCIENCE,  Intelligence & Espionage,  TRUE CRIME,  Employees,  Angleton, James, 1917-1987,  United States. Central Intelligence Agency -- History -- 20th century,  United States. Central Intelligence Agency -- Officials and employees -- Biography,  Intelligence service -- United States -- History -- 20th century,  Intelligence officers -- United States -- Biography,  Angleton, james , 1917-1987,  Historyunited states. central intelligence agency,  Officials and employeesunited states. central intelligence agency,  Intelligence service--history,  Intelligence service--united states--history--20th century,  Intelligence officers--united states--biography,  Biography & autobiography / political,  Political science / intelligence & espionage,  True crime / espionage,  Jk468.i6 m67 2017,  327.12730092 b,  anticommunism

People: James Angleton (1917-1987)

Places: United States

Times: 20th century