Donovan's Devils
OSS Commandos Behind Enemy Lines—Europe, World War II
-
- USD 12.99
-
- USD 12.99
Descripción editorial
The stirring, little-known story of the forerunners to today's Special Forces.
The OSS—Office of Strategic Services—created under the command of William Donovan, has been celebrated for its cloak-and-dagger operations during World War II and as the precursor of the CIA. As the "Oh So Social," it has also been portrayed as a club for the well-connected before, during, and after the war. Donovan's Devils tells the story of a different OSS, that of ordinary soldiers, recruited from among first- and second-generation immigrants, who volunteered for dangerous duty behind enemy lines and risked their lives in Italy, France, the Balkans, and elsewhere in Europe. Organized into Operational Groups, they infiltrated into enemy territory by air or sea and operated for days, weeks, or months hundreds of miles from the closest Allied troops. They performed sabotage, organized native resistance, and rescued downed airmen, nurses, and prisoners of war. Their enemy showed them no mercy, and sometimes their closest friends betrayed them. They were the precursors to today's Special Forces operators.
Based on declassified OSS records, personal collections, and oral histories of participants from both sides of the conflict, Donovan's Devils provides the most comprehensive account to date of the Operational Group activities, including a detailed narrative of the ill-fated Ginny mission, which resulted in the one of the OSS's gravest losses of the war.
Skyhorse Publishing, as well as our Arcade imprint, are proud to publish a broad range of books for readers interested in history--books about World War II, the Third Reich, Hitler and his henchmen, the JFK assassination, conspiracies, the American Civil War, the American Revolution, gladiators, Vikings, ancient Rome, medieval times, the old West, and much more. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Lulushi (Operation Valuable Fiend) authoritatively relates the little-known story of the actions of the Office of Strategic Services's Operational Group (OG), predecessors of today's Army Special Forces, behind German lines during WWII. His research materials include previously classified archives and interviews with surviving OSS veterans. The book uses major operations in Italy, France, and the Balkans to illustrate the high-risk raids, ambushes, sabotage, and guerrilla assistance operations often conducted hundreds of miles behind German lines. The OGs organized immigrant and first-generation Americans into geographically focused organizations. This gave them the language and cultural knowledge necessary to communicate with the friendly civilian population after landing by parachute or boat. Italian-Americans were prominent in OGs, operating behind German lines in northern Italy and supporting Italian partisans. OGs wore standard U.S. Army uniforms and their missions were purely military and high risk; their treatment as prisoners of war was not guaranteed. Their contributions toward harassing the German command were sufficient to get the attention of Hitler, who ordered the execution of all commandos and saboteurs. Lulushi's engaging read will be of particular interest to those interested in the American immigrant experience and the history of special operations.
