Inside France's DGSE: The General Directorate for External Security

by Patti Polisar

Since World War I, French military leaders have had an unfortunate tradition of using good intelligence information poorly. As a result, France has lost pivotal battles, colonies, and its high standing on the world stage. But when former French president Fran?ois Mitterand learned about the Iraqi buildup of weapons in the Persian Gulf from an American admiral, France finally realized how weak its intelligence operations had become. By 1998, France...

• Format: Library Binding
• Language: English
• ISBN: 082393814X
• ISBN13: 9780823938148
• Release Date: January 2003
• Publisher: Rosen Young Adult
• Length: 64 Pages
• Weight: 0.85 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 7.2" x 9.7"
• Age Range: 12 to 17 years
• Grade Range: Grades 7 to 12

Customer Reviews

Polisar Stuns - A Francophile's Dream

I first ran across 'Inside France's DGSE: The General Directorate for External Security (Inside the World's Most Famous Intelligence Agencies)' at a used bookstore in Harvard Square. Nestled in the stacks with my corn muffin and Dunkin Donuts coffee, I consumed it it ravenously (the book, not the muffin), savoring each brilliantly-rendered paragraph between sips of richly aromatic java. It has been said that Polisar's writing is a masterpiece of ironic detachment. Verily, she observes that France's DGSE, like its society, is mysterious and unfathomable. One has only to examine the agency's motto: 'Partout où nécessité fait loi' ("In every place where necessity makes law") to find proof of this. The book is well constructed and features a serviceable binding. Page texture is robust and of adequate weight. The ending brought unexpected tears and an emotional catharsis (a Polisar trademark since her work with analog computing pioneers of the early 1980s). I highly recommend this book.

Stellar book on the French CIA

I came across Ms. Polisar's book while doing research for an adult mystery novel. Even though recommended for ages 9-12, it is by far the best resource - in either French or English - for those wanting to learn about the history and organization of France's General Directorate for External Security (their version of the CIA). This slim, well-written volume offers a wealth of information in a concise, compelling form.