The CIA and the Cult of Intelligence 1974: Victor Marchetti  and John D. Marks 

Few books change national attitudes. This one did. When it was first published in 1974, the Central Intelligence Agency was regarded by most Americans who had heard of it as an unusually skillful, wise, and successful branch of the United States Government. The CIA and the Cult of Intelligence began a process of public reappraisal-a process that contin­ued through newspaper reports, the work of a presidential commission , and congressional hearings.

Few books change national attitudes. This one did. When it was first published in 1974, the Central Intelligence Agency was regarded by most Americans who had heard of it as an unusually skillful, wise, and successful branch of the United States Government. The CIA and the Cult of Intelligence began a process of public reappraisal-a process that contin­ued through newspaper reports, the work of a presidential commission , and congressional hearings.

The CIA and the Cult of lntelligmce was first published in 1974. By Federal Court order, the authors were required to submit the manuscript of this book to the CIA for review prior to publication. Under the terms of the court ruling, the CIA ordered the deletion of 339 passages of varying length.

My introduction to the intelligence business came during the early years of the Cold War, while serving with the U.S. Army in Germany. There , in 1952. I was sent to the Euro­pean Command's "special'· school at Oberammergau to studyRussian and the rudiments of intelligence methods and techniques. Afterward I was assigned to duty on the East German border. The information we collected on the enemy's plans and activities was of little significance, but the duty was good, sometimes even exciting. We believed that wewere keeping the world free for democracy, that we were in the first line of defense against the spread of communism.

My introduction to the intelligence business came during the early years of the Cold War, while serving with the U.S. Army in Germany. There , in 1952. I was sent to the Euro­pean Command's "special'· school at Oberammergau to studyRussian and the rudiments of intelligence methods and techniques. Afterward I was assigned to duty on the East German border. The information we collected on the enemy's plans and activities was of little significance, but the duty was good, sometimes even exciting. We believed that wewere keeping the world free for democracy, that we were in the first line of defense against the spread of communism.

On April 18, 1972, Victor Marchetti became the first Ameri­can writer to be served with an official censorship order issued by a court of the United States. The order prohibited him from "disclosing in any manner ( 1 ) any information relating to intelligence activities, (2) any information con­cerning intelligence sources and methods, or (3) any intelli­gence information.

On April 18, 1972, Victor Marchetti became the first Ameri­can writer to be served with an official censorship order issued by a court of the United States. The order prohibited him from "disclosing in any manner ( 1 ) any information relating to intelligence activities, (2) any information con­cerning intelligence sources and methods, or (3) any intelli­gence information.