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.

Espionage.

Intelligence service--Australia--History--20th century.

Intelligence service.

Spies--Australia--History--20th century.

Spies.

Intelligence officers--Australia--History--20th century.

Intelligence officers.

International relations.

History.

Australia--History--1901-1945.

Australia.

Australia--Foreign relations--1901-1945.

Diplomatic relations.

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