Deceptions Of World War Ii

Critical acclaim for William B. Breuer "A first-class historian." -The Wall Street Journal Top Secret Tales of World War II "A book for rainy days and long solitary nights by the fire. If there were a genre for cozy nonfiction, this would be the template." -Publishers Weekly "Perfect for the curious and adventure readers and those who love exotic tales and especially history buffs who will be surprised at what they didn't know. Recommended for nearly everyone." -Kirkus Reviews Daring Missions of World War II " The author brings to light many previously unknown stories of behind-the-scenes bravery and covert activities that helped the Allies win critical victories." -Albuquerque Journal Secret Weapons of World War II "Rip-roaring tales . . . a delightful addition to the niche that Breuer has so successfully carved out." -Publishers Weekly

The first book to draw on the official British papers containing deception secrets taht were classified until 1978. Tells the fascinating story of brilliant and sometimes ingenious ploys, and also reveals the many pathetic and sometimes laughable failures of deception strategy.

The story behind the various organizations responsible for trickery and deception during World War II.

The story behind the various organizations responsible for trickery and deception during World War II.

Behind the great battles and courageous acts of World War II are the schemes and ruses of cloak-and-dagger agencies, the captivating tales of which are told in Deceptions of World War II. In this book of Wold War II deception, noted military historian and author William Breuer presents more than 80 little-known tales of illusions, masquerades, and fakery—often decisive factors, providing an advantage that likely amounted to the difference between victory and defeat. Painstakingly researched and collected from personal interviews, official archives, and declassified documents, these fresh, fast-paced accounts take you directly into the minds of the men and women who misled their enemy, uncovered military secrets, and furthered their cause by any means possible: stealing Hitler’s secret weapon, “smuggling” ships to England, financing an FBI coup, impersonating a submarine fleet, unmasking German spies, and even sending Nazis into the White House. From Nazi Germany on the march to the Allies’ victory, you’ll marvel at the actions of: Ladislas Farago, who was formally classified as insane and yet on active duty in the US Navy, operating as a secret agent The nine Germans who “captured” Belgrade by means of a bold bluff London’s devious “Shadow Warrior,” who invented rumors to throw Germany off its guard and drive a wedge between the Nazi leaders and the military The Oslo Gang, whose mind-boggling exploits helped to convict Norwegian traitors and German war criminals soon after the liberation Greta Garbo, the world-famous Swedish actress who worked undercover for the British and reported on Nazi sympathizers Writing in an engaging, dramatic style, Breuer is once again at the top of his form, uncovering nuggets of espionage that will enthrall World War II buffs, hungry for new stories of the war, as well as anyone interested in compelling tales of history.

“A” Force explores an area of World War II deception history that has often been neglected. While older studies have focused on the D-day deception campaign and Britain’s infamous double-agents, this work explores the origins of Britain’s deception activities to reveal how the British became such masterful deceivers. This is the first work to focus exclusively on "A" Force and the origins of British deception, examining how and why the British first employed deception in World War II. More specifically, it traces the development of the "A" Force organization—the first British organization to practice both tactical and strategic deception in the field. Formed in Cairo in 1941, "A" Force was headed by an unconventional British colonel named Dudley Wrangel Clarke. Because there was no precedent for Clarke's "A" Force, it truly functioned on a trial-and-error basis. The learning curve was steep, but Clarke was up for the challenge. By the Battle of El Alamein, British deception had reached maturity. Moreover, it was there that the “deceptionists” established the deception blueprint later used by the London planners to plan and execute Operation Bodyguard, the campaign to conceal Allied intentions for the D-day landing at Normandy. In contrast to earlier deception histories that have tended to focus on Britain’s later efforts emphasizing Operation Bodyguard, this work clearly shows that this strategy was forged much earlier in the deserts of Africa under the leadership of Dudley Clarke, not in London. Moreover, it was born not out of opportunity, but out of sheer desperation, when in June 1940 the British found themselves completely unprepared for war.

Volume 5 of the Official History of Intelligence in the Second World War, Strategic Deception, brings the series to an end. Strategic deception depends for its success on the availability of good security and good intelligence. The first three volumes of the series described the intelligence channels that gave the Allies their incomparable insight into enemy capabilities and intentions.

In World War II, the Allies employed unprecedented methods and practiced the most successful military deception ever seen, meticulously feeding misinformation to Axis intelligence to lead Axis commanders into erroneous action. Thaddeus Holt's elegantly written and comprehensive book is the first to tell the full story behind these operations. Exactly how the Allies engaged in strategic deception has remained secret for decades. Now, with the help of newly declassified material, Holt reveals this secret to the world in a riveting work of historical scholarship. Once the Americans joined the war in 1941, they had much to learn from their British counterparts, who had been honing their deception skills for years. As the war progressed, the British took charge of misinformation efforts in the European theater, while the Americans focused on the Pacific. The Deceivers takes readers from the early British achievements in the Middle East and Europe at the beginning of the war to the massive Allied success of D-Day, American victory in the Pacific theater, and the war's culmination on the brink of an invasion of Japan. Colonel John Bevan, who managed British deception operations from London, described the three essentials to strategic deception as good plans, double agents, and codebreaking, and The Deceivers covers each of these aspects in minute detail. Holt brings to life the little-known men, British and American, who ran Allied deception, such as Bevan, Dudley Clarke, Peter Fleming, Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., and Newman Smith. He tracks the development of deception techniques and tells the hitherto unknown story of double agent management and other deception through the American FBI and Joint Security Control. Full of fascinating sources and astounding revelations, The Deceivers is an indispensable volume and an unparalleled contribution to World War II literature.