Australia's first spies : the remarkable story of Australia's intelligence operations, 1901-1945 / John Fahey.

Format:

• Book

Author/Creator:

• Fahey, John, author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

• Espionage--Australia--History--20th century.
• Intelligence service--Australia--History--20th century.
• Spies--Australia--History--20th century.
• Intelligence officers--Australia--History--20th century.
• International relations.
• History.
• Intelligence officers.
• Spies.
• Intelligence service.
• Espionage.
• Australia--History--1901-1945.
• Australia--Foreign relations--1901-1945.
• Diplomatic relations.
• Australia.

Genre:

• History.

Physical Description:

xxii, 434 pages, 24 unnumbered pages of plates : illustrations, maps, portraits ; 24 cm

Place of Publication:

Crows Nest, N.S.W. : Allen & Unwin, 2018.

Summary:

The first systematic account of Australian intelligence operations in the early 20th century offers fascinating new insights into Australian politics and international relations. Australia was born with its eyes wide open. Although politicians spoke publicly of loyalty to Britain and the empire, in secret they immediately set about protecting Australia's interests from the Germans, the Japanese - and from Britain itself. As an experienced intelligence officer, John Fahey knows how the security services disguise their activities within government files. He has combed the archives to compile the first account of Australia's intelligence operations in the years from Federation to the end of World War II. He tells the stories of dedicated patriots who undertook dangerous operations to protect their new nation, despite a lack of training and support. He shows how the early adoption of advanced radio technology by Australia contributed to the war effort in Europe. He also exposes the bureaucratic mismanagement in World War II that cost many lives, and the leaks that compromised Australia's standing with its wartime allies so badly that Australia was nearly expelled from the Anglo-Saxon intelligence network. Australia's First Spies shows Australia always has been a far savvier operator in international affairs than much of the historical record suggests, and it offers a glimpse into the secret history of the nation.

Contents:

• Preface
• Introduction: looking out for number one
• 1. Wilson Le Couteur's Pacific Mission, 1901
• 2. Atlee Hunt: Public Servant, Spy Master, 1901-23
• 3. Enlightened Princes and Wise Generals: Military Intelligence in Early Australia
• 4. A Prescient Letter: Suspecting Japanese Spies
• 5. Join the Navy and Spy on the World
• 6. Australian Success, 1914
• 7. The Wanetta Organisation, 1901-20
• 8. National Intelligence, 1901-20
• 9. The First Coastwatcher
• 10. Australian Signals Intelligence, 1914-29
• 11. Hand to Mouth: Australian Signals Intelligence in the 1930s
• 12. Harry Freame's Japanese Mission, 1941
• 13. The Coastwatchers Go to War, 1939-42
• 14. The Lions in the Den: Japanese Counterintelligence
• 15. Herding Cats: The Allied Intelligence Bureau
• 16. Australia's First National Signals Intelligence Effort
• 17. Battle in Asia and the Pacific, 1941-42
• 18 Establishing Central Bureau, 1942
• 19. Stepping on Toes: Australia's Attack on Japan's Diplomatic Codes
• 20. Allied Secret Intelligence Compromised, 1944
• 21. Saving Australian SIGINT, 1945-47
• 22. Coastwatching behind Enemy Lines
• 23. The Solomons and Pacific Area, 1943
• 24. Human Intelligence in the Attack, 1943-45
• 25. The Kempeitai's Game, 1942-45.

ISBN:

• 9781760631208
• 1760631205

OCLC:

1046082685