Intelligence in theory: Manuals, handbooks and instructions on doctrine and procedures (France, United Kingdom, United States, 1870-1945)

Authors

  • Diego Navarro Bonilla Universidad Carlos III de Madrid

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.53351/ruhm.v4i8.116

Keywords:

Handbooks, Intelligence Services, Information Networks, Theory and Practice of Intelligence, Technical Manuals

Abstract

Intelligence Networks Analysis is one of the essential subjects in any research focused on the actions, resources and intelligence/counterintelligence purposes on a given geographical and chronological context. However, the discourse of practices requires a theoretical approach to understand the scope of the activity of the intelligence services at its multiple levels and typologies (Sigint, Humint, Imint, Osint, etc.). It is therefore necessary to incorporate the valuable contributions of instructions, manuals, regulations and handbooks that constituted the doctrinal basis of the contending armies during the first half of the twentieth century until World War II. These normative materials, systematically compared and analyzed provide a conceptual framework to understand the degree of balance between intelligence theories and real results. All the experience gained and the lessons learned converge in 1945 systematization and scientific approach to intelligence work that defined the Cold War. In these pages we insist on theorizing intelligence activity as a continuum of procedures and general principles that already achieved a very precise formulation in the late nineteenth century, regardless of technological advances discovered during the 30´s and 40´s.

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Author Biography

Diego Navarro Bonilla, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid

Diego Navarro Bonilla es profesor titular de Universidad en el Departamento de Biblioteconomía y Documentación. Ha sido fundador del Instituto Universitario Juan Velázquez de Velasco de investigación en inteligencia para la seguridad y la defensa. Ex director del Master en Analista de Inteligencia y de Inteligencia y Seguridad: Revista de Análisis y Prospectiva.

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Published

2016-01-12

How to Cite

Navarro Bonilla, D. (2016). Intelligence in theory: Manuals, handbooks and instructions on doctrine and procedures (France, United Kingdom, United States, 1870-1945). Revista Universitaria De Historia Militar, 4(8), 15–34. https://doi.org/10.53351/ruhm.v4i8.116