#93: The Spymaster Who Created Modern American Espionage, Part IV

After Pearl Harbor, Coordinator of Intelligence Colonel William J. Donovan petitioned for President Roosevelt to transfer his new agency from White House control to that of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. FDR thought he was committing political suicide - the military generals and admirals wanted nothing to do with him - but FDR granted Donovan's request. The Office of Information was dissolved and the Office of Strategic Services was created.

While many of Donovan's seniors didn't think much of his outfit, Operation Torch, the Allied invasion of French controlled North Africa and the US Army's first offensive combat action of the war changed Chief of Staff General George Marshall's mind thanks to the great intelligence OSS agents provided in the run up to the amphibious landings on the north African coast.

Donovan wasn't present on the battlefield during Torch, but he would take part in the landings at Sicily, Salerno, Anzio, and Normandy in Europe and Hollandia in New Guinea. Before the end of the war, Donovan and the OSS will have participated in operations in every theater of the war.

The introduction and transition music heard on the podcast is composed and recorded by the eldest Ghosts of Arlington, Jr. While the rest of his catalogue is quite different from what he's performed for me, you can find his music on bandcamp.com under the names Caladrius and Bloodfeather.

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