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With the establishment of the OSS Morale Operations (MO) branch, psychological warfare redefined America’s intelligence and communications. MO employees worked with “black” propaganda—disinformation that is deniable by (and not traceable to) its source. This technique became an effective tool for influencing enemy opinions and perceptions.
Marlene Dietrich (1901-1992)
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Born in Berlin; became an American citizen in 1939.
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Singer, actress, and OSS volunteer.
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Entertained frontline Allied troops throughout World War II, often within firing range of enemy units.
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Recorded popular songs such as "Lili Marlene," "I Couldn’t Sleep a Wink Last Night," "Miss Otis Regrets," "Taking a Chance on Love," "Time in My Hands," "Annie Doesn’t Live Here Anymore," "Mean to Me," and "The Surrey with the Fringe on Top" in German; OSS then broadcast the recordings to combat-weary German troops as part of a psychological warfare operation designed to lower their morale and fighting effectiveness.
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OSS director William Donovan extended his gratitude for Dietrich’s help:
“I am personally deeply grateful to you for your generosity in making these recordings for us."
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Marlene Dietrich in uniform
Photo Credit: Medal of Freedom |
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Letter the League of Lonely War Women sent out to lower the morale of German soldiers
Photo Credit: Psych War
Click image to see larger version and read the English translation |
Barbara Lauwers
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Assigned to OSS Moral Operations headquarters in Rome.
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Assembled a team of German prisoners to work in counterintelligence and psychological warfare.
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Worked as “cobblers”—a spy who creates false passports, visas, diplomas and other documents.
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Conducted Operation Sauerkraut: infiltrated enemy lines with teams of German prisoners that spread “black” propaganda regarding Hitler throughout occupied Italian towns.
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Helped create the "League of Lonely War Women" and sent letters to German soldiers to lower their morale by making them believe that the females in their lives back home were having causal relations with other soldiers (see letter on the left or click here).
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All agents returned unharmed and reported valuable information intelligence on military supplies and movements.
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In another mission, she led a team in writing and delivering “black” propaganda targeting the Czech and Slovak soldiers attached to the German army in northern Italy.
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On April 29, 1945, as a result of Lauwers’ team’s work, over 600 Czechoslovak soldiers defected from the Italian front, withdrawing their support from the Germans.
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This successful operation won Lauwers the Bronze Star.
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Elizabeth P. McIntosh
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Journalist and war correspondent; was recruited into the MO branch of the OSS following the attack on Pearl Harbor.
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Stationed at OSS headquarters in India.
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Rewrote intercepted Japanese soldiers’ postcards, casting the Japanese empire and its chances at military success in a less than favorable light.
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Transferred to OSS MO headquarters in China.
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Worked on a project that intercepted an Imperial Order describing the terms of surrender.
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Her team was able to detect a Japanese prisoner who worked in high command, re-write the order, and distribute it to Japanese soldiers.
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