From the Shadows: The Ultimate Insider's Story of Five Presidents and How They Won the Cold War [Paperback]

Robert M. Gates (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0684834979 | ISBN-13: 978-0684834979 | Publication Date: May 7, 1997

From a former Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, whose government service spanned six presidencies, this is the inside story of the role of America and the agency in the collapse of communism in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe. Gates provides descriptions of the atmosphere, culture and politics of the CIA and the National Security Council and draws candid appraisals of presidents and key officials. Among his many disclosures are: how Carter laid the foundations for Reagan's covert wars against the Soviets; CIA predictions of a conservative coup against Gorbachev and the collapse of the Soviet Union; CIA and KGB "black operations" against each other; the secret relationship between Pope John Paul II and the Soviets; and the three secret CIA-KGB summits.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Gates, director of the Central Intelligence Agency from 1991 to 1993, began in an entry level position and rose to the top. His insider's account of the Cold War, CIA operations and the unraveling of the Soviet Union is sprinkled with revelations including the fact that 1983 was the most dangerous year in U.S.-U.S.S.R. relations and that both the CIA and KGB sponsored countless "black operations" designed to embarrass and discredit the other side. Gates also reveals that he secretly met with KGB foreign operations chief Vladimir Kryuchkov on two separate occasions and how the CIA often acted in contempt of Congress. While none of this may come as a huge surprise, it never fails to shock when it's laid out in black and white by someone who was on the inside. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Publishers Weekly

Gates, director of the Central Intelligence Agency from 1991 to 1993, rose from entry level to the top. His insider's account of the Cold War, CIA operations and the unraveling of the Soviet Union is sprinkled with revelations. We learn that 1983 was "the most dangerous year in U.S.-U.S.S.R. relations"; that President Bush telephoned Boris Yeltsin in the Russian parliament building during the 1991 attempted coup; that for months the CIA predicted a coup attempt against Gorbachev-a warning that he ignored. Gates characterizes former CIA director William Casey as coming to the CIA "primarily to wage war against the Soviet Union." Both the KGB and the CIA, Gates divulges, sponsored countless "black operations"-forgeries, lies, dirty tricks and other covert propaganda activities designed to embarrass and discredit the other side. We also learn that during Gorbachev's 1987 visit to Washington, a collateral secret summit took place-Gates, then CIA deputy director, met with KGB foreign operations chief Vladimir Kryuchkov; they secretly met again in Moscow in 1989 when Kryuchkov was head of the KGB. Gates also candidly discusses how the agency's contemptuous treatment of Congress, evasive briefings and deceptions eroded public confidence.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 608 pages
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster (May 7, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0684834979
• ISBN-13: 978-0684834979
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.2 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.9 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #890,957 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars View from the inside, September 30, 2006

By 

Newton Ooi (Phoenix, Arizona United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: From the Shadows: The Ultimate Insider's Story of Five Presidents and How They Won the Cold War (Hardcover)

The CIA is probably the one institution that the US President controls the most; or so this book argues. Robert M. Gates spent over two decades working at the CIA, and is one of the few career officials who came in near the bottom and rose all the way to the top. This book is his memoir, and recollection of how the CIA served 5 consecutive presidents in the Cold War. Starting with Richard Nixon, and ending with the first George Bush, Gates shows how each president used, and sometimes abused, the CIA to further their policies with regard to the USSR and communist parties around the world.

The major points one gets from this book are as follows. First, Carter was no wimp with regard to the USSR. Second, the most dangerous years of the Cold War did not end with Vietnam; they included some years in the 1980's. Third, the CIA consistently disregards the laws of the US. Fourth, the CIA often gets suckered into doing thing at the whim of the president that it later regrets. Last, the first George Bush was probably one of the best diplomats the US has seen in recent times. Over all, this was a very good book and I am glad I read it.

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Insider's look at the cold war and washington politics, April 13, 2000

By 

Brian Leverenz - See all my reviews

This review is from: From the Shadows: The Ultimate Insider's Story of Five Presidents and How They Won the Cold War (Paperback)

Gates has made a solid contribution to the literature on the cold war. Arguing that US foreign policy had far more continuity and coherence than the political positioning of candidates would seem to make it appear, Gates proves that presidents come and go but the bureaucracy remains forever! The fact that he was a major part of 4 administrations makes it somewhat self-serving for him to make this argument, but nonetheless, it is probably true. Gates provides the reader with major insight into many of the fronts of the cold war, including Latin America, Europe, Afghanistan, and the Middle East, highlighting how intelligence failures in the late 60's resulted in the detente policies of Nixon, but the military buildup by the Reagan administration ultimately bankrupted the Soviet Union. In between Nixon and Reagan, he gives President Carter a great deal of credit for being the first president to challenge the moral auhority of the COmmunist Party to rule. This made him a dangerous enemy i nthe eyes of the Soviets. According to the author, the year 1983 was the most dangerous year; we nearly came to blows with the Soviet Union over missle placement, Star wars and a host of other issues. The book is a bit long and the rough chronological format results in the author repeating many themes too often, but it contains enough facts and insights about so many seminal events in the cold war that its ultimately worth the long hours to finish. What Gates does not do is assess the price America paid for victory in the cold war, and ask if it was all worth it. Is the world any safer now than it was then? Im not sure, but Gates provides us with many fascinating stories about a time when the world was a two superpower place. He also gives excellent portraits of each of the presidents he served under. For those of you unaware of his status, he was the first person to rise from entry level analyst to CIA Director under George Bush. Overall, an interesting book if a bit long and perhaps a bit too detailed and insiderish for some, he drops names as if it was a Hollywood party!

13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Informative but dry, July 23, 2002

By 

"jcj7t" (Charlottesville, VA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: From the Shadows: The Ultimate Insider's Story of Five Presidents and How They Won the Cold War (Paperback)

Gates had access to some of the most fascinating characters in the history of the Cold War. His observations are incisive and revealing about many of these personalities; however, his book often reads like one might imagine a CIA memo reads, rather dry. The book provides feedback on several important historical instances but it does not go into much depth on any. I do not recommend it as a book used to learn the history of that era. Instead I would read it to gain a further understanding of what went on behind the scenes.
In general, I find Gates to be an interesting character himself. He has some hilarious anecdotes about life in the CIA. Such as when he is walking up the steps of Air Force One and turns to flip off several of the top officials (I think it was) in Romania after they botch his passport. In addition to a often dry sense of humor he also seems to have a great deal of character and integrity.