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book2003

Intelligence in War

Disciplines:
military history
intelligence studies

Summary

Keegan's study of the role of intelligence in warfare — concluding, surprisingly, that military intelligence rarely decides battles, because commanders often fail to act on it.

Core Contribution

The counterintuitive finding: good intelligence, even complete intelligence (Jutland, Crete, Market Garden), does not guarantee victory — because commanders are limited by their own psychology, doctrine, and resources in their ability to exploit information. Case studies: Stonewall Jackson, Jutland, Bletchley Park, Crete, the Battle of the Atlantic. The limits of intelligence as a determinant of military outcomes.

Historical Influences

F.H. Hinsley's Official History of British Intelligence

Intellectual Lineage

Military History Intelligence Studies

Allied Works

The Face of Battle A History of Warfare The Mask of Command

Contemporaries & Peers

The Face of Battle A History of Warfare

Minds Influenced

Intelligence Studies

Intellectual Posterity

Intelligence Studies

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