
The Shadow War
SOE and OSS in the Second World War
Howard R. Simkin(Author)
Helion & Company (Publisher)
Will be published approx. on 15. August 2026
Book
Hardback
248 pages
978-1-80451-971-4 (ISBN)
Description
Want to know all about espionage, sabotage, and guerrilla warfare in World War Two? Then this book is for you. It focuses on covert and clandestine operations conducted by the British Special Operations Executive (SOE) and the American Office of Strategic Services (OSS). They were the premier special operation of that conflict. The Shadow War: SOE and OSS in World War Two, differs from other published overviews because of the author's extensive background in special operations, how it is organized and presented, as well as it depth of research. It tells the story of how SOE and OSS grew, the resistance organizations they supported, and the substantial contributions they made to Allied victory. Spectacular success and abject failure both feature in this compelling narrative of the secret war in World War II. These include vignettes of operations in all theaters of war in which SOE or OSS fought against the Axis. It includes successes like Operation Gunnerside - the attack which derailed Hitler's atomic bomb program. It also discuss failures like Operation North Pole, where the Nazis gained complete control of SOE's Dutch agent circuits. If you want a well-rounded recounting of the secret war within World War Two, this book is for you.
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
Solihull
United Kingdom
Illustrations
28 b/w photos, 8 figures, 2 tables
Dimensions
Height: 234 mm
Width: 156 mm
ISBN-13
978-1-80451-971-4 (9781804519714)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
Howard R. Simkin is a lifelong student of history - World War Two in particular. A U.S. Army Special Forces veteran, he has studied both SOE and OSS. His over 40 years of combined military, law enforcement, and business experience include 16 Years in Special Operations. In 2022 Howard authored, Home Run: Allied Escape and Evasion in World War II. He has written articles for Naval History and Small Wars Journal, as well as being a U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command proclaimed, "Mad Scientist." He lives in North Carolina with his wife of 51 years, in a multi-generational home.