The DGSE

Damien van Pijveld's 'The DGSE' provides a compact history of France's Directorate General for External Security, tracing its development, operations, and organisational culture.

The book examines both controversial episodes—such as the 1985 Rainbow Warrior operation—and the agency's operational priorities, limitations, and regional focuses.

Drawing on archival material, parliamentary hearings and interviews, the author reconstructs how the DGSE balances covert action with intelligence gathering.

It highlights the agency's emphasis on operations over long-form analysis and discusses challenges posed by contemporary threats like cyber and hybrid warfare.

The work situates the DGSE within French foreign policy and global intelligence networks, offering insight for readers interested in espionage and statecraft.