The Hidden History of United States Intelligence From the Revolution Through to Today (SR)

From shadowy operatives in the streets of colonial America to high-tech cyber operations of the 21st century, U.S. intelligence work has shaped our nation’s history in ways often hidden from public view. This course explores the evolution of America’s intelligence community, revealing little-known stories of the people, organizations, and events that operated behind the scenes. We will trace the role of civilian spies during the American Revolution, uncover the 19th-century secret missions of prominent American writers and artists, and examine how the Army Engineering Corps doubled as a nationwide spy network during the Civil War. We'll learn about Franklin Roosevelt’s private intelligence group, “The Room,” and its absorption into Naval Intelligence, leading to the official postwar creation of the CIA, NSA, and 14 other U.S. intelligence agencies. The course will conclude with an analysis of major intelligence successes, failures, and challenges from the Cold War to the present day.