Libraries at University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Document Type
Article
Date of this Version
5-1985
Abstract
Purpose: This is a working bibliography I have prepared to aid in a research project I am distributing a few copies because no comparable bibliography on technical intelligence is available.
Definition: I define technical intelligence as the effort to collect, process, and disseminate information about the characteristics of weapons and equipment used by the armed forces of other countries. I also include other activities of technical intelligence organizations of the armed forces like preparation of sanitary surveys by medical intelligence. According to my definition, technical intelligence in the US Army began when technical intelligence sections were set up in the offices of the chiefs of the technical services just before World War II. Before that there had been some collection of technical information but there was little systematic analysis. From early in World War II, there were seven technical services of the Army: Ordnance, Chemical, Engineer, Medical, Signal, and Transportation. Each technical Service has an intelligence branch. In 1962, most of the separate technical intelligence branches were replaced by a centralized organization. The Air Force and Navy have had centralized technical intelligence organizations from the beginning. I DO NOT CONSIDER THE COLLECTION OF DATA BY TECHNICAL MEANS, LIKE PHOTOGRAPHY, TO BE TECHNICAL INTELLIGENCE. Of course, technical intelligence data can be collected by technical means. For example, our military attaches take pictures of Soviet equipment in each May Day parade.
Scope: Because this is working bibliography, I have included a wide variety of items:
--Manuals, orders, and directives concerning technical intelligence organizations and the technical intelligence process.
--Official publications giving the technical characteristics of weapons and equipment, from Aircraft Recognition Playing Cards to detailed catalogs of foreign equipment. (I have excluded commercial publications like the famous Janes guides.)
--Books and articles describing technical intelligence organizations, operations, and activities or describing military operations in which technical intelligence played an important part, like the campaign against the German V-Weapons.
--References to technical intelligence collection opportunities, such as the capture of tremendous amounts of Soviet equipment by Israel in several wars.
--Manuals and articles which aid in organizing or understanding official publications, such as indexes and correspondence manuals.
The bibliography contains title, author, and acquisition number listings.
Comments
Political Science Department, University of Georgia, Athens, GA. May 23, 1985