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Title: J. Edgar Hoover: The Man and the Secrets by Curt Gentry ISBN: 0-393-32128-2 Publisher: W.W. Norton & Company Pub. Date: February, 2001 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $17.95 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.23 (13 reviews)
Rating: 5
Summary: The Secret History of a Great American
Comment: A Republican President is besieged by criticism. He believes the Democratic party headquarters has a file that would damage his reputation, so he orders a burglary. R Nixon in 1972? No, H Hoover in 1930 (p.153)! 1933 saw a change in Administrations. J Edgar Hoover again demonstrated his usefulness to the new AG (p.155). Page 163 tells of some doubts about Bruno Hauptmann's guilt: his fingerprints did not match "the latent impressions developed on the ransom notes and the ransom money" found in the garage! Page 181 notes the friends of Hoover; one was AA Berle, "whose former commanding officer was General Van Deman".
Chapter 15 discusses the arrests made when Hoover was on the scene; he was a better administrator than a detective. In the 1930s he personally conducted several vice raids in Miami, until complaints about ruining the tourist business brought them to an end. Chapter 16 tells about the proposed coup d'etat against FDR. General Smedley Butler, who was forced to retire after criticizing Mussolini, was approached by bankers who wanted to make him head of the American Legion (p.201). They wanted the American Legion to copy the Fascisti of Italy, and lead a march on Washington to change the Administration. Page 203 tells of the American Liberty League, the clique behind this proposed putsch. General Butler took his story to Hoover ("no federal crime involved"), then to the new House Un-American Activities Committee. Many of the sponsors of the American Liberty League then withdrew their support; other groups (like 'America First') were created (p.204). The FBI began intelligence investigations into the Nazi movement, a departure from criminal investigations.
On 8/24/1936 FDR held a private meeting with Hoover. The new task would be to investigate Fascism and Communism. Did the FBI lack authority? Hoover said he could do this only if the State Dept requested it. That was done the next day (p.207). On 11/30/1939 Hoover told Congress he had resurrected the despised GID to list suspected individuals, groups, and organizations. If needed, he could imprison "both aliens and citizens", such as radical labor leaders, critical journalists and writers, and certain members of Congress (p.213)! Complaints to FDR about Hoover keeping tabs on their activities helped Hoover (p.223), because FDR like to hear about this. FDR also ordered Hoover to do more political intelligence on his opponents (p.225). One of FDR's secret tapes records him giving instructions on how to smear Willkie (p.227).
Page 232 tells how FDR overruled the Supreme Court decision against wiretapping! Page 234 tells of the ACLU "stooge". Page 241 tells of FDR's deal with HUAC: if people couldn't be prosecuted, then HUAC could smear them. Pages 269-273 tell about Dusko Popov's visit to America, and his unheeded warning about an attack on Pearl Harbor. (See Robert Stinnett's book "Day of Deceit".) Page 282 tells of mail opening being done in WW II and for decades after. Page 283 tells of rumors of planting incriminating evidence! Bugging hotel rooms is noted on page 286. The bitter rivalry between Hoover and Henry Morgenthau Jr is discussed on page 293. There were constant battles with Army and Navy intelligence. Page 296 tells of Pearl Harbor investigations.
Hoover was a top-level bachelor bureaucrat who remained in office during many administrations. We will never see his kind again. (Congress passed a law against it.)
Rating: 5
Summary: Hoover's Hidden History
Comment: The first sixty pages tell of the three days after Hoover's death. AAG Patrick Gray asked AD John Mohr for "the secret files" only to be told there were no secret files (p.37). They used code words to hide them, such as "Official Confidential" and "Do Not File" files! Page 73 mentions that Hoover was "in charge of counter-radical activities as special assistant to the attorney general" since 1917. Hoover was a strong proponent of "dragnet" raids, made without warrants and probable cause (pp. 72-3). While this is usually censored in the history books, some WW II era movies show Nazis doing this in occupied countries. Page 77 tells how a prediction of insurrection and terrorism resulted in an increased budget!
Hoover was appointed chief of the General Intelligence Division in 1919 (p.79). One-third to one-half of special agents investigated threatened strikes; the DOJ became a national strikebreaking agency! Since 1914 the cost of living had doubled, and wages declined by 14%. Their penetration and control of the two Communist parties allowed them to arrange meetings so their members could be easily arrested (p.91)! The affidavits of probable cause were almost devoid of proof (p.89). (I wonder if this could ever happen again?) Page 93 tells how the BI's undercover agents handed out red membership cards to often illiterate aliens. After warrantless arrests, the "third degree" was used to get their statements. Since no Revolution occurred afterwards, the 'NY Times" claimed a success! Months later the National Popular Government League released its study, and said the Department of Justice was breaking the laws and violating the Constitution (p.98). The twelve signers were famous lawyers. Hoover immediately opened a file on each! Other lawyers condemned these raids, including two future Supreme Court Justices.
Page 101 explains how this "Double Cross System" worked: "beyond reasonable doubt, the Government owns and operates some part of the Communist Party". This suspected agent had helped write two key documents used in all of these cases. During WW II some in British Intellignce criticized Hoover's arrest of the 8 Nazi spies, saying they should have doubled them. But they didn't understand American politics! They may have looked down on the Americans, but Hoover (and others) were running agents while these critics were still in diapers.
Hoover showed his talents by being kept on with a new administration. He investigated Harding's political opponents, and easily switched loyalties (p.109). Hoover received support from military intelligence (p.11). Page 114 tells how investigating Mann Act violations created massive amounts of data on corruption. Some prominent names (Rockefeller, Mellon, and Vanderbilt) profited from prostitution as landlords. Page 120 tells of a proposal to create sympathy for the Attorney General by bombing his house!
And there are many more such stories in later chapters. Remember this: J Edgar Hoover was promoted because he was the best man available in the "Department of Easy Virtue"!
Rating: 3
Summary: Very detailed and not for everybody
Comment: The book is very well researched and detailed. If you ever wanted the facts (I got the feeling all of them) it's here. It kept me interested for about 500 pages, but after a while, it just got a bit relentless.
Not to say the book is written poorly, but be ready for a heavy, fact filled, hugely referenced, textbook style read.
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Title: Official and Confidential: The Secret Life of J. Edgar Hoover by Anthony Summers ISBN: 0399138005 Publisher: Putnam Pub Group Pub. Date: March, 1993 List Price(USD): $25.95 |
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Title: Empire: The Life, Legend, and Madness of Howard Hughes by Bartlett, Donald L. Barrett, Donald L. Barlett, James B. Steele ISBN: 0393000257 Publisher: W.W. Norton & Company Pub. Date: January, 1981 List Price(USD): $19.95 |
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Title: J. Edgar Hoover, Sex, and Crime: An Historical Antidote by Athan G. Theoharis ISBN: 1566630711 Publisher: Ivan R Dee, Inc. Pub. Date: March, 1995 List Price(USD): $19.95 |
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Title: Act of Treason: The Role of J. Edgar Hoover in the Assassination of President Kennedy by Mark North ISBN: 088184747X Publisher: Carroll & Graf Pub. Date: November, 1991 List Price(USD): $26.95 |
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Title: Hughes: The Private Diaries, Memos and Letters: The Definitive Biography of the First American Billionaire by Richard Hack ISBN: 1893224643 Publisher: New Millenium Pr Pub. Date: September, 2002 List Price(USD): $18.95 |
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