Intelligence in War (Abridged): Knowledge of the Enemy from Napoleon to Al-Qaeda Audiobook

" really fun if you like military history. keegan is dry but nobody understands this stuff better. "

" This book had so much potential but fell on its face for me. It was hard to stay captivated about a topic I find myself very interested in. I did pick up quite a bit, especially about the true nature of intelligence in WWII. Unfortuantely, it was difficult to really focus on all the details. "

" Excellent account of some of the most notable examples in history of the trade. Conclusions about the field made at the very end were in my opinion off target, but overall a great book if you want to learn about the history and importance of intelligence in war. "

" I like John Keegan's style-- he manages to pack a lot of information in while still making it interesting. In this book, he basically makes the argument that intelligence gathering for military purposes makes very little difference in armed conflict. Instead, tactics, firepower, and luck are more dominating factors. I was skeptical of his argument at first, but I think he makes a pretty good case. Even so, I'm not fully convinced. Nobody likes going into battle blind, and knowing something about your enemy is always preferred over knowing nothing. "

" Keegan can be tedious in detail at times but never fails to make creative and masterful conclusions. "

" Really good analysis of military intelligence throughout time using a lot of historical examples. Good, but not quite as exciting as his others, when I think about it I can hardly remember any specifics. "

" For all those who hold that all we need is better intelligence. This is a real paradigm shift. Keegan's historical expertise shows eloquently why it's just not that simple. A must read for anyone in the intelligence fields, military or decision making politic. "

" I gave up on this book in the middle of the chapter about the Shenandoah valley campaign. Just didn't give a rotund rodent's rump about the back and forths involved in it-- the minutiae of a military campaign held no interest for me. "

" Keegan's book on intelligence (i.e. spies etc.) in war. Lots of interesting stories -- but the final conclusion is that intelligence is important, but not as important as is often thought. "

" An interesting read about the art of war-time spying and how it can impact the outcome of a conflict. "

" It wasn't bad, but not as much detail on intelligence as I would have liked. That said, it did have some interesting stories and John Keegan is a great writer of military history. "

" Anything by John Keegan is great history. He's the best military historian around in my opinion. "

" A great book that firmly demonstrates the advantages and limitations of good intelligence in war. I recommend this to anyone. "

" Probably my least favorite Keegan book. It never really had a cohesive thread, it was just a collection of histories of famous examples of intelligence being used effectively in war. The best was the Falklands War chapter, which I knew very little about. "

" Great 360 degree look into the use of intelligence in wartime throughout history. A great read through the many different eras of intelligence's successes and failures. "

" Very interesting analysis of HUMINT's role in war and a much recommended reflection on what will it be in the modern day conflicts. "

" Good, interesting read--I particulary enjoyed his discussion of Nelson's chase for Napoleon. Great assessment of just how useful or insignificant intelligence can be in battle and war . . . "

" How small but crucial information has swung the tides of history. "

" I found it interesting. It offers very broad coverage of what should be called Counter-Intelligence. "

" The author focused on a number of military campaigns, beginning with Admiral Nelson's fleet chasing and seeking Napoleon Bonaparte's fleet in Egypt and eventually destroying it. The focus of all the campaigns Keegan studies and writes about is the impact of intelligence. "

" Probably my least favorite Keegan book. It never really had a cohesive thread, it was just a collection of histories of famous examples of intelligence being used effectively in war. The best was the Falklands War chapter, which I knew very little about. "

" A great book that firmly demonstrates the advantages and limitations of good intelligence in war. I recommend this to anyone. "

" Excellent account of some of the most notable examples in history of the trade. Conclusions about the field made at the very end were in my opinion off target, but overall a great book if you want to learn about the history and importance of intelligence in war. "

" Great 360 degree look into the use of intelligence in wartime throughout history. A great read through the many different eras of intelligence's successes and failures. "

" Really good analysis of military intelligence throughout time using a lot of historical examples. Good, but not quite as exciting as his others, when I think about it I can hardly remember any specifics. "

" Keegan can be tedious in detail at times but never fails to make creative and masterful conclusions. "

" For all those who hold that all we need is better intelligence. This is a real paradigm shift. Keegan's historical expertise shows eloquently why it's just not that simple. A must read for anyone in the intelligence fields, military or decision making politic. "

" I gave up on this book in the middle of the chapter about the Shenandoah valley campaign. Just didn't give a rotund rodent's rump about the back and forths involved in it-- the minutiae of a military campaign held no interest for me. "

" Anything by John Keegan is great history. He's the best military historian around in my opinion. "

" How small but crucial information has swung the tides of history. "

" This book had so much potential but fell on its face for me. It was hard to stay captivated about a topic I find myself very interested in. I did pick up quite a bit, especially about the true nature of intelligence in WWII. Unfortuantely, it was difficult to really focus on all the details. "