ISBN: 978-0197678732, Oxford University Press, June 2025, 632 pages, $39.99 (Hardcover)
Reviewed by: Ann Phillips, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, Florida, United States
Jeff Rogg’s The Spy and the State: The History of U.S. Intelligence offers an engaging and immersive survey of American intelligence from the nation’s founding to the modern era. Rogg is a recognized professional in the national security and intelligence community. His experience within the intelligence community gives him firsthand knowledge of the function of intelligence organizations, the role of analysts within those organizations, and the importance of intelligence in informing decision-making. His academic and professional experiences allow him to guide the reader through both the historical significance and practical development of intelligence over time. Rather than presenting intelligence history as a dry institutional chronology or a mechanical recitation of examples, Rogg frames it as a dynamic relationship between intelligence activities and the ever-evolving American state. The result is a book that is both accessible to general readers and valuable to students and scholars seeking a clear, well-organized interpretation of U.S. intelligence history.
One of the book’s greatest strengths is its division into three major historical periods. In doing so, Rogg provides an understandable roadmap while underscoring a central argument: intelligence in the United States has never been static, but instead has continually adapted to political culture, technological change, and shifting perceptions of national security. Each section builds on the last, reinforcing the idea that contemporary intelligence practices cannot be understood without appreciating their historical foundations. Additionally, the structure demonstrates certain constants in intelligence, particularly the ongoing balancing act between safety and security, on the one hand, and liberty and privacy, on the other.
The first section focuses on intelligence in the early republic through the nineteenth century, a period often overlooked in discussions of U.S. intelligence. Rogg demonstrates that intelligence activities have taken place since the nation’s inception, even though they lacked the formal bureaucratic structures of today. He highlights the reliance on personal networks, diplomats, military officers, and ad hoc spycraft during the Revolutionary War and early republic. Here, Rogg discusses how early American suspicion of standing institutions shaped an intelligence system that was informal, decentralized, and closely tied to military and diplomatic needs. Of the three sections, this one is the densest and may require readers to slow their pace to fully digest the material.
The second part of the book traces the gradual professionalization of U.S. intelligence from the late nineteenth century through World War II and the early Cold War. In this section, Rogg emphasizes how industrialization, global conflict, and America’s expanding international role necessitated more permanent intelligence organizations. The creation of agencies such as the Office of Strategic Services and later the Central Intelligence Agency is presented not as an inevitable development, but rather as a contested response to new strategic realities. Rogg rightly places these institutional changes within broader political debates about executive power, secrecy, and democratic accountability. This section is particularly effective in showing how intelligence agencies emerged alongside a growing national security state, contributing to the continual reshaping of the balance between liberty and security in American politics.
The final section addresses the modern intelligence era, including the Cold War, post-Cold War adjustments, and the intelligence challenges of the post-9/11 world. Rogg takes on controversial topics such as covert action, intelligence failures, surveillance, and public mistrust, presenting these issues as part of the ongoing tension inherent in a democratic society that relies on secrecy to protect itself. By placing modern debates in historical context, Rogg continues to demonstrate that controversies surrounding intelligence oversight, civil liberties, and executive authority are not new, but knowable and recurring. This historical continuity is one of the book’s most persuasive and reassuring contributions.
Also inviting is Rogg’s use of anecdotal evidence throughout the book. Rather than relying solely on abstract policy discussions or institutional histories, he brings intelligence history to life through stories of individuals, operations, and moments of decision. This anecdotal evidence reveals the humanity that exists in the intelligence arena and makes complex developments easier to grasp. From early spies operating under assumed identities to Cold War analysts grappling with incomplete information, Rogg uses storytelling to illustrate his broader themes. Moreover, he incorporates photographs and visual materials that allow readers to observe historical moments and better understand their relationship to intelligence.
Importantly, the anecdotes are not embellishments or stories inserted merely to break up the academic and historical material. Instead, they are carefully curated to reinforce the book’s central arguments about the evolving relationship between intelligence and the state. By anchoring institutional change in lived experience, Rogg helps readers understand how intelligence practices actually worked on the ground and how personal judgment, bias, and creativity have always played a role alongside formal structures. This approach makes the book especially engaging for readers who might otherwise find intelligence history intimidating or enigmatic.
Overall, The Spy and the State succeeds as both a history and an invitation. Rogg provides a thoughtful and well-structured account of U.S. intelligence that encourages readers to view intelligence as a central and enduring feature of American governance. His three-part historical framework offers clarity, while his use of anecdotal evidence adds a level of humanity, reminding readers that intelligence requires real people to make real-time decisions. While Rogg’s conclusion that the future of intelligence portends changes that may render the country less safe and less free may strike some readers as premature, he is nonetheless correct in emphasizing the need for continued national dialogue about the direction and purpose of intelligence in the United States. For anyone interested in U.S. history, national security, or the ongoing debate over secrecy and democracy, this book is a compelling and worthwhile read.
