Sacred Secrets: How Soviet Intelligence Operations Changed America

by Jerrold L. Schecter, Leona P. Schecter

In the last decade of the twentieth century, newly opened classified archives revealed a series of “sacred secrets” that survivors of the Cold War had sworn to carry to their graves. These revelations have challenged our understanding of significant historical events. In Sacred Secrets, Jerrold and Leona Schecter add documents recently obtained in Russia and information from original interviews to cast new light on the reasons for the attack on Pearl Harbor, atomic espionage, Alger Hiss, McCarthyism, and the Rosenberg case, among others. The Schecters also reveal details of their own exposure to the world of sacred secrets.From Sacred Secrets, the reader emerges with a startling awareness of the profound influence that an aggressive Soviet intelligence service exerted on U.S. domestic and foreign policy. We now know, for example, that Harry Dexter White, the chief architect of the U.S. economic policy that proved so provocative to Japan and contributed to its decision to attack Pearl Harbor, was a Soviet intelligence asset committed to deflecting Japan’s aggressive aims away from the Soviet Union. The Schecters provide the missing pieces of historical puzzles, demonstrate the importance of long-forgotten memoirs, rehabilitate reputations, and condemn others, rewriting recent U.S. history.

Genres: History, Espionage, American

352 pages, Paperback

First published May 28, 2002

Reviews

[Reader · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book did nothing to attribute to my understanding of how soviet intelligence operations changed American history.

I feel as if I have been lured into a promise of a secret to be revealed, only to have the secret teller tell me "I don't really know", or ,"I don't really know what you expect me to say".

This three hundred thirty-nine paged book, says little.

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s incredibly well researched and detailed. Down to colors of buildings and what they had for lunch. This makes it a tough read however my main reason for the rating is it does t accomplish its mission until the very last chapter. The level of detail takes up so much of the book that the connection described in the title is hard to make until the very last pages. It’s good read for anyone fascinated by the world of espionage.