Body of Secrets
Encyclopedia
Body of Secrets: Anatomy of the Ultra-Secret National Security Agency is a book by James Bamford
about the NSA
and its operations. It also covers the history of espionage
in the United States
from uses of the Fulton surface-to-air recovery system
to retrieve personnel on Arctic Ocean
drift station
s to Operation Northwoods
, a declassified US military
plan that Bamford describes as a "secret and bloody war of terrorism against their own country in order to trick the American public into supporting an ill-conceived war they intended to launch against Cuba."
For the book, NSA director Michael Hayden
gave him unprecedented access. In contrast, his previous book, The Puzzle Palace
, was almost blocked from publication by the agency.
James Bamford
V. James Bamford is an American bestselling author and journalist who writes about United States intelligence agencies, most notably the National Security Agency.-Biography:...
about the NSA
National Security Agency
The National Security Agency/Central Security Service is a cryptologic intelligence agency of the United States Department of Defense responsible for the collection and analysis of foreign communications and foreign signals intelligence, as well as protecting U.S...
and its operations. It also covers the history of espionage
Espionage
Espionage or spying involves an individual obtaining information that is considered secret or confidential without the permission of the holder of the information. Espionage is inherently clandestine, lest the legitimate holder of the information change plans or take other countermeasures once it...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
from uses of the Fulton surface-to-air recovery system
Fulton surface-to-air recovery system
The Fulton surface-to-air recovery system is a system used by the CIA, United States Air Force and United States Navy for retrieving persons on the ground from an MC-130E Combat Talon I aircraft. It involves using an overall-type harness and a self-inflating balloon which carries an attached lift...
to retrieve personnel on Arctic Ocean
Arctic Ocean
The Arctic Ocean, located in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Arctic north polar region, is the smallest and shallowest of the world's five major oceanic divisions...
drift station
Drift station
A drift station is a term used to describe a temporary or semi-permanent facility built on an ice floe. During the Cold War the Soviet Union and the United States maintained a number of stations in the Arctic Ocean for research and espionage, the latter of which were often little more than quickly...
s to Operation Northwoods
Operation Northwoods
Operation Northwoods was a series of false-flag proposals that originated within the United States government in 1962. The proposals called for the Central Intelligence Agency , or other operatives, to commit acts of terrorism in U.S. cities and elsewhere...
, a declassified US military
Military of the United States
The United States Armed Forces are the military forces of the United States. They consist of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard.The United States has a strong tradition of civilian control of the military...
plan that Bamford describes as a "secret and bloody war of terrorism against their own country in order to trick the American public into supporting an ill-conceived war they intended to launch against Cuba."
For the book, NSA director Michael Hayden
Michael Hayden
Michael Vincent Hayden, is a retired United States Air Force four-star general and former Director of the National Security Agency and Director of the Central Intelligence Agency...
gave him unprecedented access. In contrast, his previous book, The Puzzle Palace
The Puzzle Palace
The Puzzle Palace is a book written by James Bamford, in which he discusses the National Security Agency, a United States Intelligence organization.The term "Puzzle Palace" refers to the NSA at Fort Meade, Maryland....
, was almost blocked from publication by the agency.
Bibliographic Data
- James Bamford, Body of Secrets: Anatomy of the Ultra-Secret National Security Agency,
- Doubleday; 1st edition (April 24, 2001) ISBN 978-0385499071
- Anchor; Reprint edition (April 30, 2002) ISBN 978-0385499088