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Eyes and Ears : Secret Agent Work in Cold War China

Schoenhals, Michael LU (2026)
Abstract

This essential primary-source reader brings together documents collected over decades of research into security agency tradecraft and Chinese Cold War-era human intelligence. Michael Schoenhals' expert translation of the texts teases out meanings from memoranda, decodes marginal notes from senior officers, and unpacks the hastily scribbled communications of covert human assets. Together, these sources trace the resilience of covert human intelligence as an institution, even when faced with revelations of major misconduct and calls for its reform. With editorial introductions providing valuable context, this collection offers an informed interpretation of the domestic recruitment and running of agents that sheds critical new light on... (More)

This essential primary-source reader brings together documents collected over decades of research into security agency tradecraft and Chinese Cold War-era human intelligence. Michael Schoenhals' expert translation of the texts teases out meanings from memoranda, decodes marginal notes from senior officers, and unpacks the hastily scribbled communications of covert human assets. Together, these sources trace the resilience of covert human intelligence as an institution, even when faced with revelations of major misconduct and calls for its reform. With editorial introductions providing valuable context, this collection offers an informed interpretation of the domestic recruitment and running of agents that sheds critical new light on Chinese security agencies' intelligence gathering operations and capacity building during the Cold War.

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Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
organization
publishing date
type
Book/Report
publication status
published
subject
pages
253 pages
publisher
Cambridge University Press
external identifiers
  • scopus:105034606423
ISBN
9781009604383
9781009604413
DOI
10.1017/9781009604420
language
English
LU publication?
yes
additional info
Publisher Copyright: © Michael Schoenhals 2026.
id
e16c799a-d83e-4c2c-9783-a1df36901999
date added to LUP
2026-05-28 14:44:31
date last changed
2026-05-28 14:45:36
@book{e16c799a-d83e-4c2c-9783-a1df36901999,
  abstract     = {{<p>This essential primary-source reader brings together documents collected over decades of research into security agency tradecraft and Chinese Cold War-era human intelligence. Michael Schoenhals' expert translation of the texts teases out meanings from memoranda, decodes marginal notes from senior officers, and unpacks the hastily scribbled communications of covert human assets. Together, these sources trace the resilience of covert human intelligence as an institution, even when faced with revelations of major misconduct and calls for its reform. With editorial introductions providing valuable context, this collection offers an informed interpretation of the domestic recruitment and running of agents that sheds critical new light on Chinese security agencies' intelligence gathering operations and capacity building during the Cold War.</p>}},
  author       = {{Schoenhals, Michael}},
  isbn         = {{9781009604383}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{01}},
  publisher    = {{Cambridge University Press}},
  title        = {{Eyes and Ears : Secret Agent Work in Cold War China}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/9781009604420}},
  doi          = {{10.1017/9781009604420}},
  year         = {{2026}},
}