Volkman, Ernest. Warriors of the Night: Spies, Soldiers, and American Intelligence. New York: William Morrow, 1985. 443 pages.

Ernest Volkman began writing articles on intelligence for Penthouse magazine in the 1970s. His strength as an essayist is demonstrated in this book, which consists of discrete chapters on various intelligence topics. These include the CIA's war against Cuba (pages 61-95), spying and the arms race (pages 97-131), photo reconnaissance and spy satellites (pages 133-166), the mole wars (pages 167-228), and the CIA in Indochina (pages 229-264). Volkman includes endnotes, and most of his narrative is credible.

However, Volkman's writing is not taken seriously by most scholars of U.S. intelligence. For one thing, his choice of wording is frequently exaggerated, in the style of an essayist writing from an elevated perspective. This probably makes it more interesting for readers who know little about the topic, but proves annoying for those who realize that major issues can be swept aside with merely a flippant phrase. Volkman does some interviews, but the bulk of his sources are secondary and he apparently chooses not to waste any time in special archives or with FOIA requests. Ultimately one is left with the impression that Volkman prefers to fire one shell from a shotgun and quickly move on to the next target in case he missed. Unfortunately, most of the issues discussed require a sniper's expertise and equipment.
ISBN 0-688-04177-9

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