The determined spy : the turbulent life and times of CIA pioneer Frank Wisner / Douglas Waller.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Waller, Douglas, 1949- author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Espionage, American--History--20th century.

Espionage, American.

People with bipolar disorder--Biography.

People with bipolar disorder.

Wisner, Frank, 1909-1965.

Wisner, Frank.

United States. Central Intelligence Agency--History--20th century.

United States.

United States. Central Intelligence Agency--Officials and employees--Biography.

Genre:

Biography.

Biographies.

Physical Description:

viii, 645 pages, 16 unnumbered pagese of plates : illustrations ; 24 cm

Place of Publication:

[New York, New York] : Dutton, [2025]

Summary:

"An intimate and expertly-researched biography of Frank Wisner, the father of CIA Black Ops, telling the story of his exciting intelligence escapades as well as his lifelong struggle with bipolar disorder"-- Provided by publisher.

Frank Wisner was one of the most powerful men in 1950s Washington, though few knew it. Reporting directly to senior U.S. officials--his work largely hidden from Congress and the public-- Wisner masterminded some of the CIA's most daring and controversial operations in the early years of the Cold War, commanding thousands of clandestine agents around the world. Following an early career marked by exciting escapades as a key World War II spy under General William "Wild Bill" Donovan, Wisner quickly rose through the postwar intelligence ranks to lead a newly created top-secret unit tasked--under little oversight--with overseeing massive propaganda, economic warfare, sabotage, subversion, and guerrilla operations all over the world, including such daring initiatives as the CIA-backed coups in Iran and Guatemala. But simultaneously, Wisner faced a demon few at the time understood: bipolar disorder. When this debilitating disease resulted in his breakdown and transfer to a mental hospital, the repercussions were felt throughout Washington's highest levels of power. Waller's sensitive and exhaustively researched biography is the riveting story of both Frank Wisner as a national figure who inspired a cadre of future CIA secret warriors, and also an intimate and empathetic portrait of a man whose harrowing struggle with bipolar disorder makes his impressive accomplishments on the world stage even more remarkable.

Contents:

Prologue

Part one: Prelude. Laurel

University of Virginia

New York

Part two: World War II. The OSS

Cairo

Istanbul

Bucharest

Berlin

Part three: The Cold War. Home

Washington

Wiz's secret war

Albania

Asia and Eastern Europe

Korea and the Philippines

Beetle's bark

The red scare and the black book

Eisenhower

Iran

Operation Ajax

Guatemala

Operation Success

Investigations

Hungary and the canal

Part four: Sidelined. Breakdown

Sheppard Pratt

London

Outside

A life cut short

Epilogue

Acknowledgments

Selected bibliography

Source notes

Index.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 533-625) and index.

ISBN:

9780593184424

0593184424

OCLC:

1436523380

Publisher Number:

90101688584