This is the fourteenth work in the Historical Dictionaries of Intelligence and Counterintelligence series. Author Trenear-Harvey, a former Royal Air Force jet fighter pilot and station intelligence officer, is recognized as an intelligence expert. The approximately 300 entries are arranged alphabetically and cover people, countries, espionage rings, various forms of surveillance, and code names. The work is arranged in the same fashion as other titles in the series: a list of acronyms and abbreviations, a chronology, an introduction, the dictionary, appendixes, and a bibliography. Entries range in length from one sentence to more than seven pages. Words in bold type within an entry indicate separate entries for those topics; see also references direct the reader to related topics, and see references direct the reader to the correct entry. Familiar names found in this work are Enrico Fermi, J. Robert Oppenheimer, Valerie Plame, and Julius and Ethel Rosenberg. There are entries on the major players—the U.S., Soviet Union, People’s Republic of China—as well as France, Germany, Great Britain, Iran, Iraq, Israel, and North Korea. Code names account for a great many of the entries.
The chronology begins with 1939 and ends with 2010. The introduction provides a brief summary and history of the concept of atomic espionage. Appendixes list “Soviet Intelligence Personnel Engaged in ENORMOZ” (an operation to penetrate the Manhattan Project) and “Manhattan Project Espionage Suspects in the VENONA Traffic” (the cryptanalytical program providing Anglo-American counterintelligence information on Soviet atomic espionage). The 10-page bibliography is broken down into categories such as “Atomic Espionage during World War II,” “Atomic Espionage during the Cold War,” and “Cuban Missile Crisis.” Scholars and lay readers alike will enjoy this work, which is an excellent source for academic libraries and large public libraries.

Booklist

Soon after the 1940 conception of using the atom as a weapon, espionage became a factor. From the early days of Soviet spying to the present, numerous nations and groups have longed to possess nuclear weapons. Though intelligence gathering has existed ever since one group decided to fight another, the potential devastation atomic weapons could cause has made the fruits of spying potentially more valuable. As this book indicates, the competition has expanded to include the United States, France, Great Britain, China, Germany, Israel, North Korea, and Iran. Historian and intelligence researcher Trenear-Harvey offers an easy-to-use work arranged in an alphabetical format. It features a foreword by the editor of the "Historical Dictionaries of Intelligence and Counterintelligence" series, of which this book is a part. A good list of acronyms and abbreviations is provided, along with a chronology. Appendixes are titled "Soviet Espionage Personnel Engaged in ENORMOZ" and "Manhattan Project Espionage Suspects in the VENONA Traffic." Entries range in length from a few sentences to a few pages and feature very helpful cross-references. Among the many entries are those for John H. Chapin, Libya, NKVD, J. Robert Oppenheimer, Pakistan, Valerie Plame, Julius Rosenberg, and Nikolai Zabotin. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Lower-level undergraduates through professionals/practitioners; general readers.

Choice Reviews

This is the 14th book in the rather good Historical Dictionaries of Intelligence and Counterintelligence series....This work is recommended for a wide range of readership to include students of the post-war history of the great powers, those with an interest in politics and power, and those studying military history. I suspect that having this title in the personal bookcase is likely to impress one’s friends, and, who knows, it could also form useful reading for those wishing to enter into a career with the intelligence services!

Reference Reviews