In Propaganda Girls, biographer Lisa Rogak presents a well-researched, approachable, and captivating account of four women's lives and careers, each instrumental to the "black propaganda" efforts of the Office of Strategic Services (OSS)--the precursor to the CIA--during World War II.
Rogak introduces Elizabeth "Betty" MacDonald, a reporter from Hawaii; polyglot Barbara "Zuzka" Lauwers; Jane Smith-Hutton, the wife of a naval attaché in Toyko; and actress and singer Marlene Dietrich (yes, that Marlene Dietrich). Rogak depicts the many trials these women faced, professionally and personally, in their journeys to work with the Morale Operations branch (MO) within the OSS, a division whose job was to break the spirits of Axis soldiers in both the European and Pacific arenas. Rogak's four subjects forged reports, newspapers, letters, and broadcasts that cunningly counteracted victory narratives put forth by the Axis powers.
Rogak (Rachel Maddow) takes readers behind the scenes as Jane navigated Tokyo at the beginning of the war, and as Marlene insisted on performing for soldiers at the front even when declared a target--even making recordings specifically encouraging German soldiers to surrender and defect. Zuzka used her multilingual skills to interrogate defectors in order to glean information to start new rumors for the MO's black propaganda, and Betty's former journalism career gave her the know-how to tell the stories that would encourage the surrender of the opposing forces. These women found innovative and courageous ways to rebrand how the narrative of war was told even as it was happening in front of them. Rogak's sweeping work brings readers into their lives, and makes their stories known for the first time. --Michelle Anya Anjirbag, freelance reviewer