Propaganda Girls: The Secret War of the Women in the OSS by Lisa Rogak
5 Stars
240 Pages
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Release Date: March 4, 2025
Nonfiction (Adult), History, WWII, Women Spies, 1940s
Elizabeth “Betty” MacDonald
Jane Smith-Hutton
Barbara “Zuzka” Lauwers
Marlene Dietrich
These four women assigned to the Morale Opereations branch of the Office of Strategic Services used their positions to gain information and spread negative information about the conditions of war and the Nazi party. Their purpose was to change people’s opinions of the war with rumors and innuendoes. If people thought Germany and the Nazi party were performing poorly and losing the war, there would be sympathy for the Allied forces. This would bring a faster end to the war.
The book was well researched and written. I was aware of the OSS before reading this book but not of the Morale Operations. These women took risks and performed courageous acts. There is a brief mention of Julia Childs that made me smile. They deserve to be called heroes.
