Table of Contents

List of Figures and Tables

Preface

Acronyms and Abbreviations

Glossary

Chronology

Introduction

PART 1: FEDERATION TO THE COLD WAR, 1901-1949

1 Counterespionage or Political Surveillance? Australia's Early Security Intelligence Organisations, 1901-1945

2 Adapting to a New Threat: Postwar Security and Intelligence in Australia, 1945-1948

3 Reacting to the Leaks: British and American Concerns about Australian Security, February-July 1948

4 Under Irresistible Pressure: Chifley Forms a New Security Service, July 1948-March 1949

PART 2: ESTABLISHMENT AND CONSOLIDATION, 1949-1954

5 Building a New Security Service: ASIO under Justice Reed, 1949

6 Trying to Crack 'The Case': The End of Reed's Term as Director-General, 1949-1950

7 Reshaping and Consolidating: Charles Spry Becomes Director-General of Security, 1950-1953

8 Contesting the Cold War: ASIO Confronts the Communists, 1950-1954

9 Watching and Recording: Field Operations against the Communists, 1950-1953

10 Vetting, Checking and Advising: ASIO's Protective Security Role, 1950-1954

11 Keeping Out Undesirables: Overseas Liaison, Refugees and War Criminals, 1950-1955

12 Moving Beyond 'The Case': Counterespionage Operations, 1950-1953

PART 3: PETROV AND THE ROYAL COMMISSION, 1951-1955

13 ASIO's Triumph: The Defection of Vladimir and Evdokia Petrov, 1951-1954

14 Out of the Shadows: ASIO and the Royal Commission on Espionage, 1954-1955

PART 4: EXPANSION AND PROFESSIONALISM, 1956-1963

15 Strengthening the Organisation: Legislation, Politics and Administration, 1956-1963

16 Seeking Comprehensive Coverage: Counter-subversion Operations, 1955-1963

17 Disruption, Propaganda and Exposure: Broadening the Counter-subversion Approach, 1955-1963

18 Searching for Illegals: Counterespionage Operations, 1955-1959

19 Resolving Doubts in the Commonwealth's Favour: Protective Security, 1955-1963

20 Building a Worldwide Network: ASIO's International Connections, 1956-1963

21 Return of the Russians: A Counterespionage Success? 1959-1963

Conclusion

Appendix: Protecting the Identity of ASIO Agents: The Case of Mercia Masson

Bibliography

Notes

Index

Promotional Information

With unprecedented access to their hitherto sealed records, this is the first volume of a remarkable official history of ASIO - a revealing and authoritative account of the early years of Australia's national security intelligence service.

About the Author

David Horner is the author or editor of 32 books on military command, operations, defence policy and intelligence.

Reviews

"The Spy Catchers is a fascinating account of ASIO's early years when the main threat Australia faced was from the Soviet regime." --The Hon. John Howard, OM, AC, former Prime Minister of Australia

"This is one of our most important official histories." --The Hon. Kim Beazley, AC, Australian Ambassador to the United States of America