The brothers
by Stephen Kinzer · first published 2013
5mentions
3recommended by
3HN commenters
2018–2023first – last mentioned
100% recommend
A joint biography of John Foster Dulles and Allen Dulles, who led the United States into foreign adventures that decisively shaped today's world as the Cold War was at its peak.
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…1970's up to 9/11. Fascinating book about the struggle to dominate Afghanistan by regional and world powers. [2] https://www.amazon.com/Ghost-Wars-Afghanistan-Invasion-Septe... Before that, it was "The Brothers: John Foster Dulles, Allen Dulles, and Their Secret World War" [3] about the history of the CIA and the US's foreign policy in the last 100+ years. [3] https://www.amazon.com/Brothers-Foster-Dulles-Allen-Secret/d...…
on “Leaked Emails Show Google Expected Military Drone AI Work to Grow Exponentially” ↗…Nazis as valuable tools in his war/wars - there's not much else to it. Recommended reading if you're curious about the CIA and it's origins, and how it effected/effects US policy: https://www.amazon.com/Brothers-Foster-Dulles-Allen-Secret/d...
on “Why does America still use Soyuz rockets to put its astronauts in space?” ↗"Devil's Chessboard" is a good overall view of the CIA although not specifically about the postwar period. Stephen Kinzer has some good books which touch on the subject including "The Brothers" and "Poisoner in Chief." Christopher Simpson's "Forbidden Trilogy" (esp. "Blowback") is very good as well.
on “Coups, lies, dirty tricks: Stewart Copeland on his CIA agent father (2000)” ↗…then I would say start with Simpson and then move on to Kinzer. There have also been some books written specifically about Sullivan & Cromwell, which was the investment banking firm where the Dulles Brothers worked and established financial ties to the Nazis, but I haven't read any of them.
on “Coups, lies, dirty tricks: Stewart Copeland on his CIA agent father (2000)” ↗…agreement with the essay. In a much more qualified way, I share his criticism of the neoconservatives who still run US foreign policy, in both major parties. I would also recommend Stephen Kinzer's book, The Brothers, about Allen and John Foster Dulles, two figures who played far more active and significant roles, the consequences of which mark the world to this day.
on “The containment of George Kennan (2022)” ↗