Handbook of Intelligence and Guerrilla Warfare in Espionage Aficionados

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Apr 17, 2015 Feliks rated it really liked it

Shelves: good-nonfiction

Long been wanting to lay my hands on the spine of this book, so famous --for so many years--within the intelligence community. You'll find it referred to by Allen W. Dulles in his seminal work, 'The Craft of Intelligence: The Fundamentals of Intelligence Gathering for a Free World'.

But hardly anywhere else, unless you are keen on this kind of thing. It's essentially a for-Western-eyes version of the procedures manual distributed within the KGB to its foreign agents. That's why Dulles mentions i Long been wanting to lay my hands on the spine of this book, so famous --for so many years--within the intelligence community. You'll find it referred to by Allen W. Dulles in his seminal work, 'The Craft of Intelligence: The Fundamentals of Intelligence Gathering for a Free World'.

But hardly anywhere else, unless you are keen on this kind of thing. It's essentially a for-Western-eyes version of the procedures manual distributed within the KGB to its foreign agents. That's why Dulles mentions it in his compendium.

Anyway, its long out-of-print and difficult to find for anything less than $100. But I've finally lain it--in triumph--on my shelf. Think of it: the summary by an actual former NKVD chief of instructions issued operatives. In his own words.

It is a slim volume, but rife with information. How does it read? Well, this Orlov's a dry dog, at first. Not much personality. He delivers a crisp, somewhat cold, matter-of-fact dissection of his topic; emanating that characteristic Russian sterility of approach.

Technical topics covered: entry into foreign countries, documentation and identities, obtaining cover employment, maintaining communication lines, recruiting sources of information, etc.

No frills, no wasted words, working-from-the-top-down-to-the-grain. Orlov states his case with authority and uses plenty of historical examples to back him up (Pearl Harbor, Port Arthur) but there's also an attitude which seems to say, 'there is no other way to proceed but in the following manner'.

In the middle of the volume however--when this cold flint discusses 'romantic subterfuge' or 'blackmail' or even 'idealism' all at various times used to recruit agents--it is marvelous. The man becomes a raconteur (you can hear his love of luxury exude). One spicy story after another from the 1930s, with which he was 'personally acquainted' (indeed--of this, I am sure, Camrade Orlov!) When he casually refers to the 'spectacular successes' by the NKVD in those years, he isn't kidding.

A fascinating book, and I will go so far as to designate it a 'must read' for any espionage fan. Similar in stature (at least) to Maugham's 'Ashenden'.
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