Book
King of spies : the dark reign of America's spymaster in Korea / Blaine Harden.
Record details
- ISBN: 9780525429937 (hardcover)
- Physical Description: 260 pages : illustrations, maps ; 24 cm
- Publisher: New York : Viking, [2017]
- Copyright: ©2017
Content descriptions
| Bibliography, etc. Note: | Includes bibliographical references and index. |
Search for related items by subject
| Genre: | Biographies. |
Available copies
- 1 of 1 copy available at Tsuga Consortium.
Holds
- 0 current holds with 1 total copy.
Show Only Available Copies
| Location | Call Number / Copy Notes | Barcode | Shelving Location | Status | Due Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stroud Branch | 327.12092 Nicho-H | 31681010072353 | NONFIC | Available | - |
- Baker & Taylor
Describes the story of Donald Nichols, who was recruited by the Armys Counter-Intelligence Corps to get close with South Koreas first president, Syngman Rhee, and become a key player in the war effort during the North Korean invasion. - Baker & Taylor
"The New York Times bestselling author of Escape from Camp 14 returns with the untold story of one of the most powerful spies in American history, shedding new light on the U.S. role in the Korean War, and its legacy In 1946, master sergeant Donald Nichols was stationed on the sleepy island of Guam when he caught the eye of recruiters from the Army's Counter Intelligence Corps. After just three months' training, he was sent to Korea, then a backwater largely beneath the radar of MacArthur's Pacific Command. Though he lacked the education and pedigree of most spies, Nichols quickly metamorphosed from army mechanic to black ops phenomenon. He insinuated himself into the affections of South Korea's first president, Syngman Rhee, and became a key player in the American war effort, warning months in advance about the North Korean invasion, breaking enemy codes, and identifying most of the bombing targets used throughout the war. But Nichols's accomplishments had a dark side: he ran his own base and played by his own rules. He recruited agents from refugee camps and prisons, sending many to their deaths on reckless missions. And his proximity to Rhee meant that he witnessed - and did nothing to stop - the slaughter of thousands of South Korean civilians in anticommunist purges"-- - Baker & Taylor
Describes the story of army mechanic Donald Nichols, who was recruited by the Armyâs Counter-Intelligence Corps to get close with South Koreaâs first president, Syngman Rhee, and become a key player in the war effort during the North Korean invasion. - Penguin Putnam
The New York Times bestselling author of Escape from Camp 14 returns with the untold story of one of the most powerful spies in American history, shedding new light on the U.S. role in the Korean War, and its legacy
In 1946, master sergeant Donald Nichols was repairing jeeps on the sleepy island of Guam when he caught the eye of recruiters from the army's Counter Intelligence Corps. After just three months' training, he was sent to Korea, then a backwater beneath the radar of MacArthur's Pacific Command. Though he lacked the pedigree of most U.S. spiesâNichols was a 7th grade dropoutâhe quickly metamorphosed from army mechanic to black ops phenomenon. He insinuated himself into the affections of Americaâs chosen puppet in South Korea, President Syngman Rhee, and became a pivotal player in the Korean War, warning months in advance about the North Korean invasion, breaking enemy codes, and identifying most of the targets destroyed by American bombs in North Korea.
But Nichols's triumphs had a dark side. Immersed in a world of torture and beheadings, he became a spymaster with his own secret base, his own covert army, and his own rules. He recruited agents from refugee camps and prisons, sending many to their deaths on reckless missions. His closeness to Rhee meant that he witnessedâand did nothing to stop or even reportâthe slaughter of tens of thousands of South Korean civilians in anticommunist purges. Nicholsâs clandestine reign lasted for an astounding eleven years.
In this riveting book, Blaine Harden traces Nichols's unlikely rise and tragic ruin, from his birth in an operatically dysfunctional family in New Jersey to his sordid postwar decline, which began when the U.S. military sacked him in Korea, sent him to an air force psych ward in Florida, and subjected himâagainst his willâto months of electroshock therapy. But King of Spies is not just the story of one American spy. It is a groundbreaking work of narrative history thatâat a time when North Korea is threatening the United States with long-range nuclear missilesâexplains the origins of an intractable foreign policy mess.
