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The Brothers: John Foster Dulles, Allen Dulles, and Their Secret World War Hardcover – October 1, 2013

by Stephen Kinzer (Author)

619 customer reviews

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A joint biography of John Foster Dulles and Allen Dulles, who led the United States into an unseen war that decisively shaped today's world

During the 1950s, when the Cold War was at its peak, two immensely powerful brothers led the United States into a series of foreign adventures whose effects are still shaking the world.

John Foster Dulles was secretary of state while his brother, Allen Dulles, was director of the Central Intelligence Agency. In this book, Stephen Kinzer places their extraordinary lives against the background of American culture and history. He uses the framework of biography to ask: Why does the United States behave as it does in the world?

The Brothers explores hidden forces that shape the national psyche, from religious piety to Western movies―many of which are about a noble gunman who cleans up a lawless town by killing bad guys. This is how the Dulles brothers saw themselves, and how many Americans still see their country's role in the world.

Propelled by a quintessentially American set of fears and delusions, the Dulles brothers launched violent campaigns against foreign leaders they saw as threats to the United States. These campaigns helped push countries from Guatemala to the Congo into long spirals of violence, led the United States into the Vietnam War, and laid the foundation for decades of hostility between the United States and countries from Cuba to Iran.

The story of the Dulles brothers is the story of America. It illuminates and helps explain the modern history of the United States and the world.
A Kirkus Reviews Best Nonfiction Book of 2013

The Brothers: John Foster Dulles, Allen Dulles, and Their Secret World War

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Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

An author tending toward criticism of American foreign affairs (Overthrow, 2006), Kinzer casts a jaundiced eye on siblings who conducted them in the 1950s. Framing his assessment as a dual biography of Secretary of State John Foster Dulles and CIA director Allen Dulles, Kinzer roots their anti-Communist policies in their belief in American exceptionalism and its Wilsonian application to promote democracy in the world. Less abstractly, the Dulles brothers were politically connected Wall Street lawyers, servants of corporate power, according to Kinzer. Their personalities, however, were starkly different. John Foster was serious-minded and maritally faithful. Gregarious Allen was a serial cheater. With such character portraits as backdrop, Kinzer arraigns the Dulles brothers’ operations against several countries. Detailing American actions in Iran, Guatemala, Indonesia, and Cuba, Kinzer crafts a negative perspective on the legacy of the Dulles brothers, whom he absolves slightly from blame because their compatriots widely approved of their providential sense of America’s role in world affairs. A historical critique sure to spark debate. --Gilbert Taylor

From Bookforum

Two exceptionally important stories take up the bulk of Kinzer's book, and both are told with considerable insight and disciplined prose.The first is the tale of the "secret world war" of American violence and political subversion in the early half of the Cold War, and this is the story Kinzer most clearly wishes to tell. The second, closely related, is an instiutional saga of the consequences that arose from the shared power of two brothers who simultaneously ran the CIA and the state department—the covert and public faces of American foreign policy. —Chris Bray

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Product details

Hardcover: 416 pages
Publisher: Times Books; 1st edition (October 1, 2013)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0805094970
ISBN-13: 978-0805094978
Product Dimensions: 6.4 x 0.1 x 9.3 inches
Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 619 customer reviews
Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #109,433 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #216 in Books > Politics & Social Sciences > Politics & Government > Specific Topics > Intelligence & Espionage
- #239 in Books > Politics & Social Sciences > Politics & Government > United States > Executive Branch
- #605 in Books > Biographies & Memoirs > Leaders & Notable People > Political

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Top customer reviews

well-written American history book that reads as easily as a fictional novel

ByAmaiaon March 23, 2017

Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase

The Brothers is an enthralling, well-written American history book that reads as easily as a fictional novel. The famous quote, "Those who do not learn history are doomed to repeat it" echoed in my mind throughout the entire time I read the book and it gave me an entirely new perspective on a multitude of broad topics including foreign policy, the world economy, democracy, separation of church and state, and corporate law. I liked how the book focused on the Dulles brothers, but did not ignore the details on the other key figures of the time including Eisenhower, Sullivan & Cromwell, and Churchill to name a few. I would tell any history lover or someone interested in better understanding the USA that this book is a must-read. I agree with the others who said that this book should be required reading in schools.

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Great History on how our foreign policy started down the wrong path.

ByOtto Miletion June 8, 2017

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

This book puts our current political position in perspective. The Dulles Brothers meddling in Irans electoral process back in the 50's is what started it all. I think if they had let Mossadegh stay in power things would be very different today. The British are the real culprits. They refused to share the wealth of all the oil they were taking from Iran so Mossadegh nationalized British Petroleum. They then came to us for help using the communist scare to fool us into helping them. Of course it's now easy to see how it all went terribly wrong.

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Beware: This book may shock you and change your perception of past history and President Dwight Eisenhower

ByGene R. Beleyon September 8, 2015

Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase

This is a fabulously written book about two brothers whose life's work was starting secret wars behind the scenes. They were probably two of the most powerful men in government when they lived. I personally think they disgraced our nation most of the time and helped start the Vietnam war. These two brothers from a wealthy East Coast family and Ivy League educated created a new occupation for themselves in starting wars. I was shocked to learn President Eisenhower was also involved at arm's length through a secret committee in authorizing these wars and condoning the actions of the Dulles brothers. Having grown up in the 1950s and 1960s, it has changed my perception of Eisenhower, whom we all thought was like a smiling, friendly grandfather who came from a war hero background that would help keep our nation out of wars. This book is a great history reality check.

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The Dulles Brothers. They changed History.

ByOLD1mIKEon February 17, 2015

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

The Brothers, by Stephen Kinzer

Five Stars. Great book. Readable. Well researched, Informative. Highly recommended for someone interested in mid 20th century history or understanding the root cause of the anti-american animosity in certain parts of the world.

The Dulles brothers played pivotal roles in an incredible number of historic events that shaped the 20th century. They exemplified american attitudes and beliefs of their day and were placed in positions to act on these beliefs. The book not only presents their part in history, but also helps us understand the reasoning behind their actions.

I should leave the book review end with the above paragraphs, but I was originally unaware of how many key historical events of the 20th century the brothers participated in and influenced. I find it impossible not to casually speculate on their effect on history. John Foster helped write the Reparation portion of the WWI Treaty of Versailles. Some historians believe German anger over the unfairness of the reparations to be one element causing WWII. John Foster helped write the 1924 Dawes Plan that opened the door to American investment in Germany. Even in 1924 John Foster was obsessed with fighting communism. He saw a strong Germany as an effective stop gap against communistic expansion. Foster used his affiliation with Sullivan & Cromwell and his friendship with Hjalmar Schacht, Hitlers Minister of Economics, to increase American investment in Germany and its industry. Without international investment, Germany probably could not have supported it's military aspirations. Allen and the CIA was instrumental in the 1953 Iranian Coup that overthrew the democratically elected Iranian Government to install the Shaw of Iran. This action and the heavy handed governing style of the Shaw certainly led to some of the anti American resentment in the middle east today and the Iranian (Islamic) Rebellion in 1979. The Iranian Rebellion probably helped elect Ronald Reagan in 1980. In regard to Vietnam. Foster, acting as Eisenhower's Secretary of State, refused to sign the 1954 Geneva Accord. Over considerable objections, John Foster and Allen chose and installed Ngo Dinh Diem as the 1st president of the newly created Republic of South Vietnam. Diem had been a minor official in Vietnam and was Interior Minister for three months in 1933. He had not held a job since. Once in power, Allen's CIA helped keep him there. John Foster continued to support the escalation of our involvement in Vietnam until his death in 1959. Allen took a hands off approach to the Bay of Pigs operation (17 April 1961), but as the Director of the CIA, it was his responsibility. JFK fired him in November 1961. There are JFK Assassination Conspiracy Theory's that include CIA involvement. It is interesting that Lyndon Johnson personally chose Allen to be a member of the Warren Commission. Add U2 Spy Planes, Congo revolts, overthrow of South American leaders, Cuba and a host more. The policies and action of these two men changed global history and probably still effect the beliefs of many today.

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Most recent customer reviews

Definitely makes you think even if it may be biased

I have mixed feelings about this book, mostly because of the one-sided presentation. Most of Kinzer’s books deal with misguided United States international interventionism, and...Read more

Published 2 days ago by Howard Schulman

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