Title
Soviet Defense Spending: A History of CIA Estimates, 19501990 (Volume 58) (WilliamsFord Texas A&M University Military History ,Used
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During the Cold War, when the United States' intelligence efforts were focused on the Soviet Union, one of the primary tasks of the Central Intelligence Agency was to estimate Soviet defense spending. Because this information was used for planning by the U.S. military, the executive branch, and Congress, the CIA's estimates were usually right in the middle of one of the biggest and most enduring political battles in Washingtonthe annual struggle over the size of the U.S. defense budget.Despite this central role the CIA estimates played in governmental and public debate throughout the decades of the Cold War, the need to protect sensitive intelligence sources and methods meant that only summary information about them could be made public. With the breakup of the Soviet Union, that need for sensitivity has greatly diminished, and for the first time, a thorough, unclassified presentation of CIA estimates of Soviet defense spending from those years has been made.In Soviet Defense Spending: A History of CIA Estimates, 19501990, Noel E. Firth and James H. Noren, who spent much of their long CIA careers estimating and studying Soviet defense spending, provide a closer look at those estimates and consider how and why they were made. In the process, the authors chronicle the development of a significant intelligence analytic capability. Firth and Noren also explain what the CIA has learned, since the collapse of the Soviet Union, about the USSR's actual militaryspending during the Cold War.For historians and political scientists interested in the Cold War, U.S.Soviet relations, the politics of defense spending, and the history of U.S. intelligence and estimation of Soviet forces, Soviet Defense Spending will be a valuable and enlightening explanation of a crucial part of the U.S. intelligence system. Students of Soviet economic and political history will find it useful as an overview of Soviet military development and as an informative slice of the history of U.S.Soviet relations.
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- Q: What is the main focus of 'Soviet Defense Spending: A History of CIA Estimates, 1950-1990'? A: The book primarily focuses on the Central Intelligence Agency's estimates of Soviet defense spending during the Cold War, exploring how these estimates were made and their significance in U.S. military and political planning.
- Q: Who are the authors of this book? A: The authors of this book are Noel E. Firth and James H. Noren, both of whom had long careers at the CIA estimating Soviet defense expenditures.
- Q: What topics does the book cover? A: The book covers topics related to Cold War history, U.S.-Soviet relations, the politics of defense spending, and the history of U.S. intelligence operations.
- Q: Is this book suitable for students and researchers? A: Yes, the book is suitable for historians, political scientists, and students interested in Soviet economic and political history, providing valuable insights into military development and intelligence estimation.
- Q: What is the condition of the book being sold? A: The book is listed as 'Used Book in Good Condition', indicating it has been previously owned but remains in a satisfactory state for reading and study.
- Q: What is the binding type of the book? A: The book is published in hardcover binding, which typically offers durability and a more formal presentation.
- Q: How many pages does the book contain? A: The book contains a total of 288 pages.
- Q: When was this book published? A: This book was published on June 1, 1998.
- Q: Does the book include unclassified information? A: Yes, the book provides a thorough, unclassified presentation of CIA estimates of Soviet defense spending, which was previously sensitive information.
- Q: What can readers expect to learn from this book? A: Readers can expect to learn about the methodologies behind CIA estimates, the actual military spending of the USSR during the Cold War, and insights into U.S. intelligence practices.