World War II was fought on a global scale and on many fronts.  The most visible conflict was the conventional war between the armies, navies and air forces of the combatants.  But there was another war, a largely invisible struggle in the shadowed realm of espionage, subversion, special operations and resistance movements.  During World War II America fought this hidden war through the OSS—the Office of Strategic Services. After the war, it was revived as the CIA (Central Intelligence Agency).  America’s post-war Special Forces trace their lineage to the OSS.

OPERATIVES, SPIES AND SABOTEURS:  The Men and Women of World War II’s OSS is a narrative history incorporating hundreds of accounts that allow the reader to view this unseen war through the untold stories of America’s spies, intelligence agents and special forces personnel.   This book covers the main branches of the OSS during World War II throughout Europe, including the primary Operational Branches: Special Operations, Operation Groups and Secret Intelligence.  This is the first and only book of its kind to delve so deeply into the hidden war fought by the men and women agents of the OSS.

 "A revealing look into the intrigue and extraordinary courage of our intelligence gatherers of World War II.  A rare combination of suspense thriller and true heroism by a great American writer."—Clive Cussler

STARRED REVIEW—"A lively recounting of America's shadow war against the Axis powers, fraught with peril, treachery, and bad decisions. First-rate reading for fans of cloak-and-dagger stuff, and for students of WWII history."—KIRKUS REVIEWS

"Before there was a James Bond or a CIA, before there was a genre called the spy thriller, real-life spooks worked behind the scenes, often at tremendous risk, to win World War II. Deftly using oral history and recently declassified documents, Patrick O’Donnell gives us a fascinating look at the shaken-not-stirred life of these intrepid soldiers, who were into intrigue long before intrigue was cool."—Hampton Sides, best-selling author of GHOST SOLDIERS

"OPERATIVES, SPIES AND SABOTEURS is a superbly told story of the men and women of the OSS.  They helped write the book on special operations.  I was struck by the similarity of the context of their stories to ones I've experienced in different combat situations.  This book is a must-read for those in the special operations business today and anyone else who wants to learn about the exploits of the real warriors of the OSS during WW II.  Only by understanding the deeds of those who have gone before us can we appreciate the sacrifices made that paved the way for the outstanding records established by present-day special warriors."—Captain Robert A. Gormly, USN (Ret.), author of COMBAT SWIMMER and former commander SEAL Teams Two and Six and Naval Special Warfare Group Two

"OPERATIVES, SPIES AND SABOTEURS is as gripping as a techno-thriller, with the bonus that its stories are true.  ...  The "Oh So Secret" recruited from Ivy League schools, law firms, corporations, and—occasionally—prisons. ...  Foreign nationals, even some prisoners of war, joined and went behind Axis lines with ropes around their necks, knowing they could expect only execution if captured.  O’Donnell conducted extensive interviews with over 300 former OSS members.  He then cross-checked their narratives, as far as possible, against the extensive OSS records in the National Archives, many only recently declassified.  First committed in North Africa, OSS teams and individuals operated in Sicily and Italy, in the Balkans alongside their British counterparts.  But it was in France that the organization did its best work and had its greatest days.  Well before the invasion, OSS agents were parachuted in to contact and organize resistance groups.  Once the invasion began, OSS teams engaged in guerrilla operations, especially against the 2nd SS Panzer Division on its march to Normandy."—Dennis Showalter, author of TANNENBERG, reviewing for The History Book Club

"[W]ith the advent of WWII the United States changed its espionage policy and opted for more daring tactics like decoding secret messages and detonating exploding cigars.  [T]he Office of Special Services, the CIA's predecessor, assembled a motley assortment of agents who set the stage for the Allied armies' most important missions, like the invasion of North Africa and the storming of Normandy.  Through first person narratives from a slew of OSS operatives, O'Donnell explores the thrilling world of spying before satellites and computer hacking boxed agents into cubicles.  ...  The chapter on the OSS' covert weapons, like exploding baseballs and umbrella pistols, vividly recalls 007's pre-mission encounters with "Q.”  This book is far more than a simple historical survey and reads like a satisfying cloak and dagger yarn, making it a good choice both history and mystery buffs."—PUBLISHERS WEEKLY

"This is a unique and uniquely valuable contribution, casting a penetrating light into the war in the shadows during World War II. O'Donnell breaks new ground with these first-hand accounts by people who never expected to tell their story. Just as it seemed there was nothing new to say, along comes a book like this."—Geoffrey Perret, author of EISENHOWER

"[G]ives the flavor of being in the action not provided by other histories...."—LIBRARY JOURNAL (January 2004)

“Say the word ‘spies’ and most people think of computers and satellites. Not so during WWII, when the U.S. created the Office of Special Services (OSS) …These men—and often women—overcame great obstacles, and their generally untold stories not only are fascinating, they were critical for success in the war…Christopher Lane’s reading gives proper due to these agents, …[h]e clearly relishes these tales,…his interest and enthusiasm …shines through at every turn.”—AUDIOFILE magazine (on the Blackstone Audiobooks edition; Jun/Jul 04)