Counterintelligence Research Paper

Counterintelligence Present and Past

Michael Smith

American Military University

INTL410

Counterintelligence Present and Past

The ability to protect the nation’s vital secrets from the foreign enemies that intend harm is a vital necessity seen in the past as well as present. The ability to conduct espionage operations on an enemy allow for being able to counter any possible attacks or even gaining a upper hand in many arenas such as economically, technology or even preempt attacks or sabotage on US interests. The need for counterintelligence activities were seen early one especially in the creation of the US, to the present on the war on terror. Counterintelligence is defined as “the information gathered to protect against espionage, defend

These agents were operating out of Boston, New York, and Washington D.C. and were under the FBI scrutiny for espionage after the FBI had received tips that a spy ring was operating in the US. The spy had provided the information to the FBI, the spy was Sergei Tretyakov a Russian SVR agent station in the Russian UN Mission in NY. Their intentions were still unclear but there was collections being conducted by the Russian SVR (Foreign Intelligence Service) in the US still after the cold war had ended. Both of these cases from the American revolution to the recent cases of espionage being conducted show the ability for the spies to operate and with a simple slip up or a double agent being used (seen in both cases giving the tip of a spy) to gather intelligence is the advantage needed to maintain secrets. The espionage cases seen most recently as well have shown the US government and service personnel are usually first to volunteer

The deception that took place and that was needed to ensure that the actual site for the landing was keep secret was using decoy military formations and General Patton’s “Inflatable Army” that was full of decoy military transports as well as inflatable tanks. These gave the Germans the false impression of a military that was amassed for an invasion from Pas de Calais, not only was the inflatable army used, but also the use of double agents and communications that were leading the Germans to believe the operation was to take place, this was done by locating the German network in Britain, through this network they were (allies) able to ensure that the Germans were being fed false information and also being able to know what the Germans assumptions were. By manipulating the information that flowed to the Germans as well as when the information was given, the allies were able to make the Germans do what they wanted to do, and manipulate them to mass their forces in the wrong area instead of the beaches of Normandy. Both of these deception operations show that through the right implementation and use of misinformation, luring your opponent into defeat is an ability that is necessary in some instances to maintain the element of surprise. The use of the false military strengths as well as using the fake military