OSS Operation Black Mail
One Woman's Covert War Against the Imperial Japanese Army
Published on 1. October 2020
Book
Paperback/Softback
280 pages
978-1-68247-540-9 (ISBN)
Description
OSS Operation Black Mail is the story of a remarkable woman who fought World War II on the front lines of psychological warfare. Elizabeth ""Betty"" P. McIntosh spent eighteen months serving in the Office of Strategic Services in what has been called the ""forgotten theater,"" China-Burma-India, where she met and worked with characters as varied as Julia Child and Ho Chi Minh. Her craft was black propaganda, and her mission was to demoralize the enemy through prevarication and deceit, and ultimately, convince him to surrender. Betty and her crew ingeniously obtained and altered personal correspondence between Japanese soldiers and their families on the home islands of Japan. She also ordered the killing of a Japanese courier in the jungles of Burma to plant a false surrender order in his mailbag.
By the time Betty flew the Hump from Calcutta to China, she was acting head of the Morale Operations branch for the entire theater, overseeing the production of thousands of pamphlets and radio scripts, the generation of fiendishly clever rumors, and the printing of a variety of faked Japanese, Burmese, and Chinese newspapers. Her strategy involved targeting not merely the Japanese soldier but the man within: the son, the husband, the father. She knew her work could ultimately save lives, but never lost sight of the fact that her propaganda was a weapon and her intended target the enemy.
This is not a typical war story. The only beaches stormed are the minds of an invisible enemy. Often a great deal of time and effort was expended in conception and production, and rarely was it known if even a shred reached the hands of the intended recipient. The process was opaque on both ends: the origin of a rumor or radio broadcast obscured, the target elusive. For Betty and her friends, time on the ""front lines"" of psychological warfare in China-Burma-India rushed by in a cascade of creativity and innovation, played out on a stage where a colonial world was ending and chaos awaited.
By the time Betty flew the Hump from Calcutta to China, she was acting head of the Morale Operations branch for the entire theater, overseeing the production of thousands of pamphlets and radio scripts, the generation of fiendishly clever rumors, and the printing of a variety of faked Japanese, Burmese, and Chinese newspapers. Her strategy involved targeting not merely the Japanese soldier but the man within: the son, the husband, the father. She knew her work could ultimately save lives, but never lost sight of the fact that her propaganda was a weapon and her intended target the enemy.
This is not a typical war story. The only beaches stormed are the minds of an invisible enemy. Often a great deal of time and effort was expended in conception and production, and rarely was it known if even a shred reached the hands of the intended recipient. The process was opaque on both ends: the origin of a rumor or radio broadcast obscured, the target elusive. For Betty and her friends, time on the ""front lines"" of psychological warfare in China-Burma-India rushed by in a cascade of creativity and innovation, played out on a stage where a colonial world was ending and chaos awaited.
Reviews / Votes
"...for those interested in WWII history, intelligence efforts, and women agents, every page has something fascinating to offer." - Criminal Element.com and WildMooBooks "The terms 'fake news' and 'alternative facts' are very much in vogue in the modern political era (2016-2017). More than seventy years ago, during World War II, fake news was the handiwork of Elizabeth P. 'Betty' McIntosh and her colleagues in the Morale Operations (MO) branch of the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), America's forerunner to the Central Intelligence Agency. Their aim was to undermine the individual enemy fighting man's will to win, in the case of McIntosh and her confreres, the Japanese soldier in Southeast Asia.... Ann Todd has written a colorful account of the life of a remarkable Woman.... All readers will enjoy this fast-paced and fascinating biography." -The Journal of America's Military Past "Todd has created a book that should be required reading for anyone interested in the Allied war against Japan, U.S. intelligence operations in the 1940s, and the critical role of women in the OSS and the U.S. intelligence community . . . . There are few books that cover the same ground in Asia, and very few that offer the insight Todd provides on how it feels to work to erode enemy morale as part of a larger war zone effort . . . . Every page is filled with information that practitioners of the espionage trade, historians of World War II, and the common reader will want to read and re-read."-Studies in Intelligence "It's well worth a read by people who read your blog and who are interested in World War II history and espionage. It's quite a remarkable book." -Center for International Maritime Security "In OSS Operation Black Mail, Ann Todd provides the reader with an integrated discussion of the strategic role of the OSS in Asia, the tactical missions of the various units of OSS assigned to CBI, and the personal insights of one of the most important OSS and CIA officers, Elizabeth P. McIntosh. Any one of these aspects would make this book recommended reading for intelligence professionals; by combining all three, though, Todd has created a book that should be required reading for anyone interested in the Allied war against Japan, US intelligence operations in the 1940s, and the critical role of women in the OSS and the US intelligence community." -Soldier of Fortune" "If read back to back, first, 'Sisterhood of Spies,' immediately followed by 'OSS Operation Black Mail,' every scene almost ever paragraph, add to the cumulative creation of a single new definition that combines honor, bravery, and courage in America's wars." -Leatherneck Magazine "Every page is filled with information that practitioners of the espionage trade, historians of World War II, and the common reader will want to read and re-read." - Center for the Study of Intelligence "Todd not only tells Elizabeth's story, but she informs us about the little-known, but hugely important role of OSS in the East, in a tale full of colourful characters, such as Paul Child (Julia's husband) and Jane Foster, who led a tragic life. She also fills the book with the vivid atmosphere of the East, and she has a thorough knowledge of history." -Bookaddiction "This is a fascinating look at the use of implacable and harsh psychological operations against a mortal enemy, conducted without restraint or remorse. The author delves into Elizabeth's story in a way that makes it seem almost fictional, but the book is obviously well researched. Her subject is a real-life hero who is still acknowledged for her skill and work by the present-day intelligence community. It is a tribute to the accomplishments of a legendary American spy who started in the OSS and continued her career in the postwar CIA." -WWII History Magazine "A readable book that is a tribute to an inventive 'woman of intelligence' and an important OSS success story." -The Washington Times "Ann Todd has made an invaluable contribution to the intelligence literature. Her portrait of OSS officer Betty McIntosh, a personal hero and role model for many of us in the intelligence profession, brings Betty's amazing story to life. This is a beautifully researched and written book. It is a wonderfully fitting tribute to a legendary American spy." - James M. Olson, senior lecturer, George Bush School of Government and Public Service, and former Chief of CIA Counterintelligence. "A fascinating account of a remarkable woman in extraordinary circumstances. War and spycraft as they have seldom been portrayed. And a wonderful match between author and subject."-H. W. Brands, New York Times bestselling author of The First American and Traitor to His Class "Today as 'fake news' and 'disinformation' muddy our news media and roil our political discourse, this colorful account of an adventurous and deeply patriotic young woman shows what powerful weapons these can be against a wartime adversary. Former reporter Betty McIntosh emerges from these pages as one of OSS General 'Wild Bill' Donovan's most creative shadow warriors." -Peter Earnest, Executive Director of the International Spy Museum "OSS Operation Black Mail is the fascinating story of Betty McIntosh, whose real-life World War II exploits with the OSS sound like the product of a Hollywood screenwriter's imagination. Betty was a trailblazer in American intelligence, both in the OSS and later the CIA. Her story is not to be missed." -Bill Harlow, former Chief Spokesman, Central Intelligence AgencyMore details
Language
English
Place of publication
Annopolis
United States
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Edition type
Unabridged edition
Product notice
Paperback (trade)
Illustrations
1 Maps, 14 B-W Photos
Dimensions
Height: 229 mm
Width: 152 mm
Thickness: 16 mm
Weight
417 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-68247-540-9 (9781682475409)
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
Ann Todd has been a contributing author and consultant for the National Geographic Society, given presentations in national parks about OSS operations, and worked as a historian for the National Museum of the Marine Corps. She served in the U.S. Coast Guard, and now lives in Dripping Springs, Texas.