Year of Award
2022
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Type
Master of Arts (MA)
Degree Name
History
Department or School/College
History
Committee Chair
Michael Mayer
Commitee Members
Kyle G. Volk David Aronofsky
Keywords
Bureau of Investigation, Surveillance, Intelligence, Intelligence Agency, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Espionage, FBI
Publisher
University of Montana
Subject Categories
Military History | United States History
Abstract
This thesis looks to analyze and understand how U.S. government officials created the first domestic intelligence agency in the United States: the Bureau of Investigation (BOI). In so doing, this paper examines how intelligence collection functioned within the U.S. prior to the creation of the BOI, what domestic and international concerns prompted the creation of a centralized institution like the BOI, and how the press, congressmen, and public opinion constrained the creation and early years of the BOI. This paper argues that from its onset, the Bureau of Investigation dedicated significant time and resources to surveilling American citizens for threats both internal and external.
Recommended Citation
Schuman-Kline, William, "“THE LONG ARM OF THE DREADED B.I.”: THE BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION AND THE ORIGINS OF THE FEDERAL SURVEILLANCE STATE" (2022). Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers. 12040.
https://scholarworks.umt.edu/etd/12040
Included in
© Copyright 2022 William Schuman-Kline