Spy Saga: Lee Harvey Oswald and U.S. Intelligence [Hardcover]

Philip H. Melanson (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 027593571X | ISBN-13: 978-0275935719 | Publication Date: December 1990

As we approach the third decade since his death, the question about the identity of Lee Harvey Oswald remains unanswered. He has been portrayed as a disgruntled loner and muddled leftist, a Russian spy, an agent of Castro's intelligence agent. He is by far the most fascinating and complex assassin in American history. Despite three official investigations and hundreds of file drawers full of documents plus the work of hundreds of journalists and researchers, history does not know who this man was. This book seeks to provide the answer to this question by presenting the best evidence in systematic, detailed form. Philip H.Melanson takes a detailed look at Oswald through the lens of tradecraft, of espionage. The clarity provided by this view will help bring into focus the legitimate unresolved questions and controversies that still plague the assassination of 35th President after nearly 30 years. This analysis reaches a conclusion about a conspiracy in John F.Kennedy's assassination, although it does not seek to establish Oswald's innocence or the existence of a second gun. Instead, it demonstrates that Oswald's movements were still being choreographed by his handlers in US intelligence - however on the fringe or renegade they may have been - at the time of the assassination. Discovering that Oswald was a US intelligence agent is not a footnote to the crime of the century but, rather, a window onto the conspiracy behind the assassination.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Political scientist Melanson argues that Oswald was an agent provocateur working for U.S. intelligence. He bases his logically coherent arguments on an examination of Oswald's actions and associations from the 1950s through John Kennedy's assassination. The author succeeds in casting doubt on the official version of that event and in posing troubling, unanswered questions. But, as is often the case with works on this subject, some of Melanson's conclusions seem as implausible as the Warren Commission findings he disputes. Readers who are unfamiliar with previous assassination literature may find it difficult to follow the complicated events and large cast of characters. Nonetheless, the book will have an audience among those who believe there is still material to be mined in this quarry.
- Thomas H. Ferrell, Univ. of Southwest ern Louisiana, Lafayette
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 201 pages
• Publisher: Praeger Pub (December 1990)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 027593571X
• ISBN-13: 978-0275935719
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.2 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #785,207 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars LHO Most Misrepresented Man in History!!, September 2, 2007

By 

Armand Herpe (MIAMI FLA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

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This review is from: Spy Saga: Lee Harvey Oswald and U.S. Intelligence (Hardcover)

Lee Harvey Oswald was recruited by American Intelligence on a fake defector mission to Russia.he was not a ''Communist'' or a ''lone crazy nut'' or ''unstable'' but a Man of sound mind and judgement who wanted nothing more than to serve his country!!Mrs Melanson proves this beyond a shadow of a doubt!!!this book is out of print get it while supplies are still available!!!

5.0 out of 5 stars Oswald, the actor, November 22, 2011

By 

JM "JMP" (France) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Spy Saga: Lee Harvey Oswald and U.S. Intelligence (Hardcover)

This classical book analyzes Oswald's whereabouts during the last 5 years of his life. The author adumbrates the general logic hidden behind an apparently erratic political behavior (defection, Fair Play for Cuba Committee...) : Oswald was an asset of an intelligence organization all along. Spy Saga is a good introduction to Oswald before diving even deeper waters with two more recent books : Oswald and the CIA and Harvey and Lee