Who were the: Propaganda Girls

The Secret War of the Women in the OSS

by Lisa Rogak

I’ve read many fiction titles that have included characters in the OSS so was excited to read a more factual account in this title. Readers of historical fiction might want to branch out to read this non-fiction book.

Below (thanks to NG and the publisher) are descriptions of the women featured:

Betty MacDonald was a 28-year-old reporter from Hawaii. Zuzka Lauwers grew up in a tiny Czechoslovakian village and knew five languages by the time she was 21. Jane Smith-Hutton was the wife of a naval attaché living in Tokyo. Marlene Dietrich, the German-American actress and singer, was of course one of the biggest stars of the 20th century. These four women, each fascinating in her own right, together contributed to one of the most covert and successful military campaigns in WWII.

Readers are drawn into this book right from the first paragraph of the book as it mentions Betty with a date of December 7, 1947, letting readers know what (awful) events are about to transpire. The pages continued to turn. I enjoyed that the women were from different backgrounds and even included an actress.

The author writes in an engaging style that invites the readers in. Through her words these women come to life. This title seems like a good choice for Women’s History Month.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this title. All opinions are my own.

Pub date: 04 March 2025