Today I will be reviewing two books that deal with “Behind-the-Lines” Operations during World War Two. I have been doing quite a bit of research lately on the OSS and SOE Operations throughout the War, and both of these book are rich with material.
It is amazing to me that even after 60+ years after World War Two, we are still finding out about missions undertook by Military Special Operations, including the first ever paratroopers and the OSS and SOE. A Critical Survey of Special Operations in World War II by Michael F. Dilley, Casemate Publishing, 280pp dives into 20+ missions undertook at different stages of the war .Military historians will find this book very similar to Vice Admirals William H. McRavens outstanding book Spec-Ops: Case Studies in Special Operations Warfare; Theory and Practice.
I got this book fully expecting it to be more of a historical “survey” type WW2 book, but was pleasantly surprised to find it written in a very catchy narrative. Operation Jedburgh: D-Day and America’s First Shadow War, By Colin Beavan, Viking Adult Publishing, 432pp, follows several brave young men as they are selected, trained and deployed by the fledgling OSS as the “Tip of the Spear” in one of the most famous “behind-the-lines” operations of the war: Operation Jedburgh. One of the reasons this book is better than most on the subject is the author’s Grandfather, Gerry Miller, was an OSS “Plank Owner” (One of the founding members) who later went on to serve with distinction in the CIA. Consequently, the author had access to personal notes, diaries and and memoirs of his Grandfather’s time in the OSS.
I’ll have to get these on my list!
There are reasons why we are always learning new information, but I find the main one is “Intelligence”?
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LOL Good One GP! Yeah it is amazing to me how much is still coming out about OSS and SOE Operations. Common sense tells you why the disasters were not openly told to the public..MORALE was a huge thing in WW2, and there were definitely a lot of disasters in the early days of the War. I am just starting to dig into the Eastern Front..wow! You want to hear some amazing stories, the Soviets did DESPERATE things in WW2! I am reading about the first airborne Ops they did and in the defense of Moscow; they actually were so short on supplies they dropped Paratroopers out with no Parachutes! They dropped them at low altitude into deep snow banks!! Talk about Crazy! But it worked..they defended Moscow and drove off the Germans!
They had the best snipers too, and their best were women!
Oh Yes. Enemy at the Gates, right!!I tell you Vasili Zaitsev was good, but they had some Female Snipers that were Big League shooters too…also there was the Finnish Sniper Simo Haya. The Finnish Winter War is an interesting study if you ever start studying the Eastern Front Theater.
My swiss-cheese brain is getting too old to start fresh on it, I’m afraid. I call my brain my ‘black hole’ – everything goes in, but very little comes out!!!
Ahhh, Dont be so hard on yourself GP, you are doing pretty good from the looks of the blog! The brain is like anything else in the human body..if you don’t USE IT you LOSE IT! Use it everyday, Read books and do brain teaser puzzles.
I do that for sure!!