Operatives, Spies, and Saboteurs: The Unknown Story of the Men and Women of World War II's OSSThe first-ever full story of American sabotage operations in World War II, based on hundreds of revealing interviews. The battles of World War II were won not only by the soldiers on the front lines, and not only by the generals and admirals, but also by the shadow warriors whose work is captured for the first time in Operatives, Spies, and Saboteurs. Thanks to the interviews and narrative skills of Patrick O'Donnell and to recent declassifications, an entire chapter of history can now be revealed. A hidden war—a war of espionage, intrigue, and sabotage—played out across the occupied territories of Europe, deep inside enemy lines. Supply lines were disrupted; crucial intelligence was obtained and relayed back to the Allies; resistance movements were organized. Sometimes, impromptu combat erupted; more often, the killing was silent and targeted. The full story of the Office of Strategic Services—OSS, precursor to the CIA—is a dramatic final chapter on one of history's most important conflicts. In a world made unrecognizable by the restrictions placed on the CIA today, OSS played fast and loose. Legendary chief "Wild Bill" Donovan created a formidable organization in short order, recruiting not only the best and brightest, but also the most fearless. His agents, both men and women, relied on guile, sex appeal, brains, and sheer guts to operate behind the lines, often in disguise, always in secret. Patrick O'Donnell has made it his life's mission to capture untold stories of World War II before the last of its veterans passes away. He has succeeded in extracting stories from the toughest of men, the most elite of soldiers, and, now, the most secretive of all: the men and women of OSS. From former CIA director William Colby, who parachuted into Norway to sever rail lines, to Virginia Hall, who disguised herself as a milkmaid, joined the French Resistance, and became one of Germany's most wanted figures, the stories of OSS are worthy of great fiction. Yet the stories in this book are all true, carefully verified by O'Donnell's painstaking research. The agents of OSS did not earn public acclaim. There were no highly publicized medal ceremonies. But the full story of OSS reveals crucial work in espionage and sabotage, work that paved the way for the Allied invasions and disrupted the Axis defenses. Operatives, Spies, and Saboteurs proves that the hidden war was among the most dramatic and important elements of World War II. |
Contents
| 1 | |
RD and The Campus | 16 |
Intrigue in North Africa and Iberia | 26 |
Up the Boot | 49 |
On Hitlers Doorstep The Oss in Switzerland | 67 |
Into the Balkans Yugoslavia and Albania | 79 |
Smashem Greece | 102 |
From Frogmen to Seals The Oss Maritime UnitMU | 124 |
Psych Ops Morale OperationsMO and Origins of Psychological Warfare | 228 |
Penetrating the Reich | 240 |
Backroom Negotiations Sweden and Norway | 263 |
Northern Italy | 278 |
Final Missions and Conclusion | 297 |
Notes | 315 |
Glossary | 331 |
| 339 | |
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agents Algiers Allied American armed Army arrived asked Author interview battle Berlin boat bridge British called camp close command crossed Division Donovan dropped enemy Entry Entry 99 fighting finally fire five forces four France French gathered gave German Gestapo guard hand head intelligence invasion Italian Italy killed knew known landed later Lieutenant lines lives located looked Major Maquis March miles military mission moved Nazi never night North officer operations organization OSS’s parachuted Partisans passed prisoners radio recalls Record Group 226 recruited Report resistance returned running Russians secret sent shot side Special started station supply surrender taken thing told took town troops trying turned units wanted weapons
Popular passages
Page xv - Information, with authority to collect and analyze all information and data, which may bear upon national security; to correlate such information and data, and to make such information and data available to the President and to such departments and officials of the Government as the President may determine...
Page 342 - PHA, 2. Ibid., 3. Ibid., 4. Ibid., 5. Ibid., 6. Ibid., 7. Ibid., 8 Ibid., 9. Ibid., 10.
Page 351 - ETO European Theater of Operations ETOUSA European Theater of Operations, US Army...
Page xvii - persuasion, penetration and intimidation . . . are the modern counterparts of sapping and mining in the siege warfare of former days." Propaganda represented the "arrow of initial penetration,