“Enthralling. . . . Lying and stealing and invading, it should be
said, make for captivating reading, especially in the hands of a
storyteller as skilled as Anderson.” —The New York Times Book Review
A NEW YORK TIMES NOTABLE BOOK OF THE YEAR
At
the end of World War II, the United States was considered the victor
over tyranny and a champion of freedom. But it was clear—to some—that
the Soviet Union was already seeking to expand and foment revolution
around the world, and the American government’s strategy in response
relied on the secret efforts of a newly formed CIA. Chronicling the
fascinating lives of the agents who sought to uphold American ideals
abroad, Scott Anderson follows the exploits of four spies: Michael
Burke, who organized parachute commandos from an Italian villa; Frank
Wisner, an ingenious spymaster who directed actions around the world;
Peter Sichel, a German Jew who outwitted the ruthless KGB in Berlin; and
Edward Lansdale, a mastermind of psychological warfare in the Far East.
But despite their lofty ambitions, time and again their efforts went
awry, thwarted by a combination of ham-fisted politicking and
ideological rigidity at the highest levels of the government. Told with
narrative brio, deep research, and a skeptical eye, The Quiet Americans
is the gripping story of how the United States, at the very pinnacle of
its power, managed to permanently damage its moral standing in the
world.
