Customer Reviews

Man Called Intrepid

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

A fascinating book, not just because of what it says, but because of what it doesn't say. Since it was 1st published in the 70's, more information on the Allies and WWII was been declassified. Cross referencing "Intrepid" with some "new" material from the British archives shows many of the stories in "Intrepid" in a different light. The reason in that not everything could be said at the time the book was first printed. Those who think the book is a work of fiction should really look at the newer declassified info. Remember...truth is stranger than fiction. No wonder this book spent so long on the best seller lists.

A terrific book! Only in a couple of instances did I find William Stevenson beginning to drag. Overall, he has opened up a heretofore classified series of events that had a great deal to do with winning World War II for the Allies. In reviewing it, I was able to relate what was in the media to what went on behind the scenes. Civil liberties took a back seat in many instances, as did morality. What was revealed even more vividly as a result of this book is the courage that Winston Churchill and FDR displayed, in showing their visible decisions on the war, and their not-for-display decisions. In FDR's case, he was setting himself up for impeachment had he been found out in the circumstances prior to America's entry into World War II. What was another new insight for many too young to have been aware of the happenings of WWII is how the Joseph Kennedy family built up a reservoir of enemies as a result of Ambassador Kennedy's beliefs and pronouncements when it appeared that the British Isles would certainly fall to Germany's onslaught. FDR chose not to fire Kennedy, but simply bypassed him with intelligence messages. In the 1960's J. Edgar Hoover and Robert Kennedy had no love for each other in a troubled working relationship. One can't help but notice how much more access today's media has to the running of wartime operations, and how difficult it has become for U.S. Presidents to work away from the public eye. Witness Watergate, Irangate, etc. A bit difficult to accept was how the sleep-around women spys were only gathering information. Stevenson implied that they were gathering nothing but accurate facts, all in the name of lust; if their paramours were as smart as they should have been, they may have been getting a romp in the hay while feeding disinformation to the WWII Mata Hari brigade.

The true history of Mr. Stephenson would probably make for a fascinating book, but this does not seem to be it.

Among other things, he is credited with getting IBM into the computer business (to build computers to crack the enigma code), thinking up the use of four famous notes from Beethoven's 5th to spread the message of Victory in the war effort (this was actually suggested by a Belgian lawyer named Victor De Lavalaye), and numerous other highly dubious claims mixed in with some that at least appear to be plausible.

Ian Fleming apparently did say that Stephenson was the basic model for his later James Bond character and by any measure the man's life was impressive. And Bill Donovan's quotes about him can be verified. But author Stevenson seems to have gotten carried away and created a work of fiction under the guise of an historically accurate account.

My guess is that with all of the people who might know the truth now dead and buried, and with the understandably scarce documentation of Stephenson's contributions to the war effort and intelligence gathering, we may never know the truth. Good spies don't leave a lot of evidence behind.

Personally, I thought the descriptions of Joseph Kennedy were almost as interesting as those of Stephenson - and easier to believe.

William Stephenson was never named "Intrepid" by Winston Churchill or by anyone else, until 1976 when the book was published. Stephenson did not work for Churchill, infact it is unlikely that he ever met him. The shadowy figure with Churchill in the ruins of the House of Commons is Brendan Bracken, a minister in the Cabinet. Most of the other pictures in the book are from an English movie about 1948 vintage called, "A School for Spies". I was the first person in North America to challenge the authenticity of this book, my early findings were published in the Vancouver Province newspaper in October 1984. After which I researched further and substantiated many more of its glaring errors. I also learned that it had also been thoroughly discredited in the UK. If you are interested I can provide all the information mentioned here and much much more besides. Denis Mason, Vancouver, B.C. (604) 926 2801 denmason@smarttnet.com

I found this book to be a candid and dynamic description of the desperate fight we engaged in to save Europe and the US from Hitler and the Axis leaders, the most diabolical and devious dictators this world has ever known. It is exciting. It is revealing. It brings us to the viewing screen of behind-the-scenes spying and espionage. It tells us about a new kind of war. It tells us about who amongst us that were our leaders were ready to sell their souls, and ours, for expedient and economic reasons. It tells us what the propagandized pulp has not. It is an excellent first book about WWII, and it is told so that one not schooled in military matters can understand the whys and what-happened about WWII. I heartily recommend this book for educational use and particularly as an introduction and interesting, stimulating presentation of a very important topic that it is crucial students learn about and understand: that is why we fought in WWII and what we had to overcome.

What an incredible debt we owe to the unknown and unsung heroes of the WWII underground secret army! Astounding courage was shown by these patriots in the face of the most formidable odds to overthrow Hitler's brutal regime. Every high school student should be required to read this to understand the events of WWII and to prevent history from repeating itself. I found every paragraph fascinating. In fact I believe it is the best book I have ever read.

I have read many books about Hitler, the Holocaust, what people were thinking at the time, why certain actions were not taken by the US. This book answers all those questions and should be required reading somewhere along the way. It is a mind-boggling contrast to the way decisions were made when we entered Iraq.

I read this decades ago. Since then a lot of WW2 files have been declassified. Most of the declassified material, backs up what was written in this book. During any war time operation, there is a lot more going on beneath the surface. Code breaking became a huge advantage for the Allies, in both Europe and the Pacific. The Nazis regime considered their enigma code machine, to be unbreakable. Breaking the key to the enigma coding machine, was vital to the Allied war effort.
The assassination of Heydrich while Governor of Czechoslovakia, was like something right out of a James Bond movie. The details of the plot, are even more interesting.
There is also a lot of information regarding Bill Donovan, and the early formation of American intelligence operations.
This was a fun book to read, and gave some new insights into WW2.

I thouroughly enjoyed this book. It revealed facts about WWII that I never dreamed possible. It amazed me. What goes on behind the scenes is always an interesting read for anyone. Any History buff would love this book.

A Man Called Intrepid should be required reading for anyone who wants to understand the US's post WWII priorities of military preparedness, intelligence gathering, political and economic control and forecasting. The covert activities described by the author demonstrate why the allies defeated the axis and never want to be caught unprepared again.

This book will forever change those who read it.