The Secret War for China

Espionage, Revolution and the Rise of Mao

Panagiotis Dimitrakis (National Centre for Scientific Research, Greece)

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English

I.B. Tauris
26 December 2019

Military history; Marxism & Communism; Nationalism; International relations; Espionage & secret services

The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, in support of a Marxist-Leninist government, and the subsequent nine-year conflict with the indigenous Afghan Mujahedeen was one of the bloodiest conflicts of the Cold War. Key details of the circumstances surrounding the invasion and its ultimate conclusion only months before the fall of the Berlin Wall in November 1989 have long remained unclear; it is a confidential narrative of clandestine correspondence, covert operations and failed intelligence. The Secret War in Afghanistan undertakes a full analysis of recently declassified intelligence archives in order to asses Anglo-American secret intelligence and diplomacy relating to the invasion of Afghanistan and unveil the Cold War realities behind the rhetoric. Rooted at every turn in close examination of the primary evidence, it outlines the secret operations of the CIA, MI6 and the KGB, and the full extent of the aid and intelligence from the West which armed and trained the Afghan fighters. Drawing from US, UK and Russian archives, Panagiotis Dimitrakis analyses the Chinese arms deals with the CIA, the multiple recorded intelligence failures of KGB intelligence and secret letters from the office of Margaret Thatcher to Jimmy Carter. In so doing, this study brings a new scholarly perspective to some of the most controversial events of Cold War history. Dimitrakis also outlines the full extent of China's involvement in arming the Mujahedeen, which led to the PRC effectively fighting the Soviet Union by proxy. This will be essential reading for scholars and students of the Cold War, American History and the Modern Middle East.

By: Panagiotis Dimitrakis (National Centre for Scientific Research Greece)
Imprint: I.B. Tauris
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 216mm, Width: 138mm,
Weight: 481g
ISBN: 9780755601103
ISBN 10: 0755601106
Pages: 416
Publication Date: 26 December 2019
Audience: College/higher education , Primary
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active

List of Abbreviations Acknowledgments Preface 1. Afghan Feuds and Secret Intelligence 2. Wrong Estimates and the Invasion 3. International Reactions 4. Assessing Kremlin’s Intentions, and its Fears 5. Espionage and Clandestine Arming 6. Discovering Chinese Intentions 7. The CIA and Gorbachev Aftermath: Continuing Covert Operations Notes Bibliography Index

Panagiotis Dimitrakis is an historian based in Athens. He holds a PhD in War Studies from King's College London, and is the author of 'Greece and the English: British Diplomacy and the Kings of Greece' (I.B.Tauris, 2009); 'Military Intelligence in Cyprus: From the Great War to Middle East Crises' (I.B.Tauris, 2010), 'Greek Military Intelligence and the Crescent: Estimating the Turkish Threat - Crises, Leadership and Strategic Analyses, 1974-1996' (2010) and 'Failed Alliances of the Cold War: Britain's Strategy and Ambitions in Asia and the Middle East' (2012).

Reviews for The Secret War for China: Espionage, Revolution and the Rise of Mao

A useful contribution to understanding the limits of intelligence and covert action in a rapidly changing environment. * Intelligence and National Security *