I learned a lot from this book. The covert operations behind what we already know about WWII was especially interesting. What I found most surprising was the role Marlene Dietrich played in the war. What an amazing woman! And here I only knew of her as an actress. I think readers will find this book very informative.

As records become declassified and available to researchers, readers are getting to learn more about the efforts of operatives during WWII. These files contain stories largely unknown, or at least unverifiable, until now. While the topic and idea of this book is a good one, the final project is only average. There are interesting details and anecdotes but the stitching that holds them together is tenuous.

There were so many people involved in the Allied defeat of Hitler that many stories and their roles in the war have been lost in time. Author Lisa Rogak seeks to resurrect the contributions of 4 women in the book "Propaganda Girls". It is the story of four women whose job was to assist in the defeat by putting out propaganda that would break the spirit of the Japanese and Germans. The most famous of those women was Marlene Deitrich whose German ancestry made her a valuable asset in the mission. Others in the group were Japanese speakers and readers with the ability to understand the culture and fears of the time and plant seeds of doubt in soldiers serving for the Japanese and German Armies. Their contribution to the war effort was invaluable. The book details the service of these four women in detail and is a very well-researched read and one that will contribute to anyone interested in the era's overall knowledge base of what it took for the Allies to win WWII. Thanks to #NetGalley#Propagandagirls#LisaRogak for the opportunity to read this very well-written book.

I was asked to review a book for NewGalley. The book was given to my at no charge, but all the opinions expressed here are my own.

4 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Book Synopsis (from NetGalley)

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.

As members of the OSS, their task was to create a secret brand of propaganda produced with the sole aim to break the morale of Axis soldiers. Working in the European theater, across enemy lines in occupied China, and in Washington, D.C., Betty, Zuzka, Jane, and Marlene forged letters and “official” military orders, wrote and produced entire newspapers, scripted radio broadcasts and songs, and even developed rumors for undercover spies and double agents to spread to the enemy. And outside of a small group of spies, no one knew they existed. Until now.

In Propaganda Girls, bestselling author Lisa Rogak brings to vivid life the incredible true story of four unsung heroes, whose spellbinding achievements would change the course of history.

My Take

I loved this book from the beginning. I am a big fan of Historical Fiction and love to come across information that I hadn't heard of before. A fascinating true story about four women, including Marlene Dietrich. I had heard that Marlene was involved in the war, but I always read she was a "kept woman." This book is exciting, engaging, and easy to read. With many primary sources, including accounts, diaries, newspaper clippings, interviews, and other sources, we hear their voices and are privy to their thoughts. This book is well-researched and well-written. I highly recommend it for anyone who loves reading about WWII, strong and brave women, or who simply enjoys an adventure story. You can't go wrong with this book.

About the Author

Lisa Rogak is the New York Times bestselling author of more than 40 books, which have been published in more than two dozen languages. Her books Barack Obama: In His Own Words, and Angry Optimist: The Life & Times of Jon Stewart, hit the New York Times bestseller lists. Haunted Heart: The Life & Times of Stephen King was nominated for both the Edgar and Anthony Awards.

Her books have been reviewed and otherwise mentioned in the Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, USA Today, and hundreds of other publications. She appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show as the featured guest in a show about small towns to promote her book, Moving to the Country Once and For All.

She served as co-author with famed YouTube star Rich Benoit on his memoir Going Fast and Fixing Things: True Stories from the World’s Most Popular DIY Repair Expert and Car Aficionado, and helped the late librarian Jan Louch tell the story of the world’s most famous library cats in The True Tails of Baker and Taylor: The Library Cats Who Left Their Pawprints on a Small Town . . . and the World

The Man Behind the DaVinci Code, her biography of famed author Dan Brown, was published in two dozen languages. In 2020, she published Rachel Maddow, the first biography of the acclaimed MSNBC anchor followed by Alex Trebek: A Biography.

Her biography of famed cartoonist, A Boy Named Shel: The Life and Times of Shel Silverstein, is currently in development for release as a major motion picture.

She lives in New Hampshire and is currently at work on a memoir.

Sometimes truth is stranger than fiction and even more interesting. Propaganda Girls: The Secret War of the Women in the OSS by Lisa Rogak gives history-loving readers the inside look into the lives of four incredible women who sought adventure and a life with purpose during WWII.

Told chronologically in chapters for each woman’s story, Propaganda Girls jumps right into the action with Betty MacDonald’s experience as a resident of Oahu on December 7, 1941 (Japan attacks Pearl Harbor). Zuzksa Lauwers’ story starts in Czechoslovakia with her fleeing the homeland for America after Hitler’s invasion in March 1939— after a quickie marriage to a Belgian-American makes it possible for her to leave. The wife of a naval attache at the American embassy in Tokyo, Jane Smith-Hutton loved learning the Japanese culture and being in foreign land —until the attack on Pearl Harbor made the family captives in enemy territory. Finally we are introduced to our fourth, and most famous, woman in this book: Marlene Dietrich. The German actress was living in America when Hitler and the Nazis came to power in her homeland where her family still lived and sought to distance herself from their “disgusting” ways.

The first quarter of the book tells the stories behind their why, followed by how these women became involved in the secret work of black propaganda for the Allied Forces. Their unique tales are told in an engaging way that almost makes you forget you’re reading non-fiction. The book ends with a chapter on what each woman did after the war and a brief wrap-up of her life. Propaganda Girls is a great way to learn more about women’s history and World War II. It is a rather quick read, too. (If you’re reading on kindle, the final fifth of the book is actually notes and sources.)

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

Propaganda Girls shines a light on four women recruited into the Office of Strategic Services to create "black propaganda" during World War II. I found it fascinating to learn about the different ways that black propaganda was used, as well as the individual stories of the women involved. They had an almost insatiable desire for adventure and influence, characteristics often devalued in women. It was nice to read about the ways their talents were used.

Thank you to #NetGalley and #StMartinsPress for a free copy of #PropagandaGirls by Lisa Rogak. All opinions are my own.

The 2016 feature film Hidden Figures, based on Margot Lee Shetterly’s book, introduced the previously untold story of three courageous and brilliant Black women mathematicians who worked for NASA in the 1960s facing racism, as well as sexism.

Propaganda Girls: The Secret War of the Women in the OSS by Lisa Rogak reveals yet another untold chapter of the history of women in America. This one involves four other women who went to work for the US government during World War II, creating psychological propaganda, known as “black propaganda,” designed “to break the morale” of the enemy Axis soldiers.

In her introduction to Propaganda Girls, Rogak explains that “In essence, black propaganda was a series of believable lies designed to cause the enemy soldiers to lose heart and ultimately surrender...” It consisted of pamphlets, radio broadcasts, fake newspapers, and other campaigns based on “lies, stories, and rumors” regarding the war.

Who were the Propaganda Girls?

The book is divided into four parts, each with a chapter focusing on one of the four women: Betty McDonald, Jane Smith-Hutton, Zuzka Lauwers, and Marlene Dietrich (yes, that Marlene Dietrich).

The women were hand-selected by General William J. “Wild Bill” Donovan’s Office of Strategic Services (OSS), which Rogak identifies as “the precursor of today’s CIA.” Unlike most men of his generation, Donovan specifically sought to hire women. He was convinced that women “would excel at creating subversive materials.”

Before Donovan tapped her, Betty MacDonald was the society and women’s editor at the Honolulu Star-Bulletin. She found this job less than professionally engaging, so she devoted her spare time to learning about Asian culture.

Zuzka Lauwers was born in Czechoslovakia. With a facility for languages, she eventually landed in the Czech consulate in Washington as a ghostwriter, before being hired by Donovan.

Jane Smith-Hutton, married to a diplomat, lived at the American embassy in Tokyo, where she and her family were held hostage for a time. In Tokyo, she became near-fluent in Japanese. That skill, and her desire for revenge, helped her in her work creating black propaganda aimed at Japanese soldiers.

The fourth of the Propaganda Girls was Marlene Dietrich, famous American entertainer and German expat who had great antipathy toward Nazi Germany. She wanted nothing more than to take down the Nazis.

For Rogak, the sexism deeply embedded in the culture in which these four unusual women operated is a significant part of the story. They loved their OSS work but were increasingly stymied by male decision-makers who tried to clip their creative wings, despite their effectiveness.

She focuses on what they endured in the 1940s: low pay and low military rank in comparison to the contributions they were making; having to answer to male superiors who had far less experience in their areas of expertise; and ceaseless frustration at not being recognized.

Rogak characterizes MacDonald, Lauwers, Smith-Hutton, and Dietrich as women who “All had careers that were highly unusual for women in the 1930s and ’40s, and they all yearned to escape the gender restrictions of the day that dictated they are mothers and wives, or teachers or nurses if they absolutely had to work.”

After introducing the four women, the central part of the book describes in detail the black propaganda campaigns they undertook and the risky circumstances they found themselves in, along with the sexism they encountered.

In part four, Rogak devotes a chapter each to what happened to the women after the war. This section lacks the drama of the first three, reading somewhat like an undergraduate research paper, but it does tie up loose ends.

Lauwers was tasked with mounting a music festival in Salzburg, Austria, in the immediate aftermath of the war. She reunited with her parents in Czechoslovakia, moved frequently between Europe and the United States, and eventually settled into a fulfilling life with two serious partners.

Dietrich found the transition to civilian life emotionally challenging. Eventually, she returned to entertaining but always considered the work she did during WW II “the most important work I’ve ever done.”

MacDonald also suffered from a lack of direction and urgency in the immediate post-war period. As soon as she returned to the States, she had “the realization that the autonomy and independence that she had experienced for the last three years was over.”

Smith-Hutton, the only one of the four whose marriage survived the war, spent her war years in Paris as the wife of an American diplomat before returning to the US.

The book closes with an extensive bibliography and more than 250 endnotes. It is due to be released on March 4. 

The reviewer is a freelance journalist and expert on the non-Jewish awakening to Torah, happening in our day. She is the editor of Ten From The Nations and Lighting Up The Nations.

As a female Navy veteran, I’m always drawn to stories that spotlight women’s service to their country—especially the ones history tends to overlook. Propaganda Girls does exactly that, and in such a compelling, accessible way. It’s so important that these stories are told—not just to honor the women who paved the way for us, but to inspire future generations of women AND men.

Lisa Rogak takes an intriguing slice of World War II history and turns it into an incredibly palatable read. This isn’t your typical dry nonfiction—Propaganda Girls feels like fiction in the best possible way: engaging, pacy, and fascinating.

The book tells the untold story of four remarkable women—Betty MacDonald, Zuzka Lauwers, Jane Smith-Hutton, and Marlene Dietrich—who used forged letters, fake newspapers, and scripted broadcasts as part of a secret OSS operation designed to break enemy morale. Their contributions were bold, covert, and absolutely essential to the war effort… and until now, largely unknown.

This is exactly the kind of nonfiction I love: informative and entertaining, spotlighting extraordinary women who deserve to be household names. Highly recommend for fans of WWII history, spy stories, and women’s untold contributions.

I am so happy that I found this book for Women's History Month because I have never heard of these women or their efforts to help make the world a.safer place or all their contributions to ending the war. I am so happy that this is a book that others will learn from and these women are getting their recognition.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the advance electronic copy of this title.

It was a perfect read for Women's History Month. At a time when women't contributions to the military are being minimized and high ranking women are being removed from their positions, it was wonderful to read about how four women were recruited to the Office of Strategic Services and the roles they played in helping America and the Allies to win the war. Yes, there were women engaging in espionage during World War II, including the actress/singer Marlene Dietrich! This book really brought their experiences to life, as well as reminding us what a World War looks like. how widespread and devastating. Important stories, especially during a time when parts of history are being whitewashed.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for allowing me to read Propaganda Girls. This is a meticulously researched story of four women who worked tirelessly to end the second world war. This book shines a well deserved light on what women did "behind the scenes". These women went right into the war zones and didn't flinch. This is a book you don't want to miss.

I enjoyed the way the work shifts between the women for each chapter. I learned a lot about each woman and the work they did during the war. If you are looking for a book that discusses war time efforts without the battle plans many others discuss, then this a book you should pick up.

I always find myself drawn to history books about World War II when they focus on individuals vs the big picture, and this book was no exception. Propaganda Girls follows the wartime experiences of four women who worked for the OSS in their Morale Operations, aka the propaganda wing. These women were instrumental in creating propaganda to take down the morale of the Axis powers while also fighting for their right to be treated the same as the men they worked alongside.
This book is excellent for readers who have a great understanding of WWII history and the OSS, but this book did lack context of the importance of the OSS and the role of women during WWII in general.

3.5*

Although I might call this "history lite", I did find Propaganda Girls to be an interesting read about a part of World War II history that I didn't know much about. Mainly following four women who achieved success in promoting what is called "black propaganda" working for the OSS in both the European and Asian theaters during the war. The various campaigns they designed were discussed, as well as some of their results on the enemies' soldiers and/or civilians.

The book also highlights that even when women were working in positions that were non-traditional for them, they also encountered definite difficulties when working in this largely male field. This includes lower salaries, fewer promotions, even expected sexual favors in at least one discussed situation. But, all four women loved what they accomplished and their fight for the Allies. Each had difficulties returning to their regular lives after the war after the excitement and comradery of their wartime responsibilities.

My favorite part was the sections about Marlene Dietrich's experiences before, during, and after the war. Already an established actress in Germany and the rest of the world, she joined the OSS for the United States and spent the war proudly entertaining for "the boys" through USO shows, visiting hospitals, and living in horrible conditions right along with the soldiers. The pictures I've seen on the Web show her smiling and in her element during the war. The cinematic photos usually show her with a serious, rather superior look in her roles.

An included bibliography lists many sources for those that might want to learn more about the OSS (the precursor to the CIA), women in the war, and the use of propaganda, both white and black. Extensive endnotes also point to sources of the cited information.

Recommended for those interested in a wide range of topics.

@macmillan.audio @librofm @stmartinspress | #partner I’ve become a big fan of nonfiction having to do with women who served in one way or another during WWII. 𝘊𝘰𝘥𝘦 𝘎𝘪𝘳𝘭𝘴 and 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘥 by Liza Mundy and 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘎𝘪𝘳𝘭𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘈𝘵𝘰𝘮𝘪𝘤 𝘊𝘪𝘵𝘺 by Denise Liernan were favorites. Now I have a new one to add to that list, 𝗣𝗥𝗢𝗣𝗔𝗚𝗔𝗡𝗗𝗔 𝗚𝗜𝗥𝗟𝗦 by Lisa Rogak. Its subtitle sums it up well: 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘦𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘵 𝘞𝘢𝘳 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘞𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘖𝘚𝘚. ⁣
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The book tells the stories of four already independent and driven women, who during the course of WWII ended up being on the forefront of creating and distributing propaganda/rumors. Their misinformation was fed behind enemy lines in an effort to confuse and dishearten German and Japanese soldiers. They didn’t do this for a want of money, power, or personal accolades, but instead to save our soldiers and bring a swifter end to the war. Three of the women you won’t have heard of, but the fourth woman you’ll know, Marlene Dietrich. ⁣
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The author spent time with their lives before the war, how they ended up working for the OSS producing propaganda, and how their lives changed once the war was over. It was fascinating learning about each of their unique contributions to the war effort. I listened to this book and the narration by Samara Naeymi was excellent. As a bonus, this is a rather short book at only 240 pages, making the audiobook only 6 hours long. Next time you’re looking for an engaging, real life story of women groundbreakers give 𝘗𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘢 𝘎𝘪𝘳𝘭𝘴 a try! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

I felt this was an interesting look at women in the war effort but felt the content was to dry and just not enjoyable
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me review the book

This was a nonfiction story about 4 women who participated in creating black propaganda for the OSS for the sole purpose of breaking the morale of the Axis soldiers during WWII. Zuzka Lauwers, from a tiny Checkoslovakian village, Betty MacDonald, a reporter from Hawaii, Jane Smith Hutton, the wife of a naval attache living in Tokyo, and Marlene Dietrich, the actress and singer. The story is told from all 4 of their perspectives and follows how they got into the OSS, the propaganda they created for the OSS, and how their contributions helped win the war. They forged letters, and military orders, produced radio broadcasts, and created newspapers. I really enjoyed this story and learning more about these fascinating women and how the propaganda that they created helped win the war.

Thanks to @stmartinspress, @netgalley, and the author for this arc.

I really enjoy reading historical fiction books. This was a little different focus from my typical book in that genre and one I really appreciated. I liked getting to know the four primary characters and their work with the OSS (which later became known as the CIA) and their efforts to help end WWII. The women, Betty MacDonald, Jane Smith-Hutton, Zurka Lauwers, and Marlene Dietrich worked behind the scenes at lower pay than men and little recognition to control emotions via propaganda. Divided into several sections, the book focuses on the time before, during, and after WWII. While Marlene Dietrich is famous in her own right, I did not realize all she did to be a part of the OSS and fight against her native country, Germany, to stop Hitler’s reign of terror. While she could have remained safe in roles in the United States, she was willing to travel abroad and help encourage the soldiers and letting them know how important they were in the fight for freedom. I am so glad that these unsung heroes are finally being recognized for the different they made in the time when women’s contributions to the war efforts were not highly valued. An interesting view into that time period and how women were overlooked as being an integral part in ending WWII.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

For more reviews, please visit my blog at: https://www.msladybugsbookreviews.com/. Over 1000 reviews posted!

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Propaganda Girls by Lisa Rogak is an engaging account of four women who worked behind the scenes to help the war effort. Both well-researched and well-written, this book will please readers of history as well as of biographies.

While Marlene Dietrich is one of the four women profiled here, her story is no more, or less, compelling than the others. Their work provided both tangible (as an early incident in the book highlights) and intangible benefits, leading to Axis personnel becoming demoralized and sometimes surrendering. The OSS was the organization they were employed in, but it was also the organization that sometimes seemed to most hinder them, or at least not support them enough. But they did what they could with many successes to show for it.

This is one of those books I wish had been longer, I wanted to know more. I think part of it is simply what is available for Rogak to use as archival material, so better a concise book like this than one filled with fluff.

Whether your interest is history or women's studies, you will find a lot here to enjoy and perhaps some avenues to pursue for your own research. Highly recommended.

Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley.

True story of 4 women….Betty, Jane, Zuska, and Marlene Dietrich who worked for the OSS, which was a precursor to the CIA, during World War II. Their job as part of the MO…morale operations was to produce and distribute black propaganda to the enemy to get them to defect and surrender. It traces the stories of these four women and then what happened to them after the war. Ms. Dietrich, a native of Berlin, despised the Nazi’s, and worked tirelessly to sell US war bonds, entertain the troops, visit hospitals and wards. She worked 16 hours a day. This book was a real eye-opener as I never knew most this kind of thing existed. It was extremely well documented. A little slow and detailed, in parts, but the last half of the book really picked up and peaked my interest. The book certainly shows the resourcefulness of individuals in the US during this most troubled time. The main characters worked in Europe, India, and China and showed what it was like to live in these places during the war. They went home after the war to see the devastation and to find their families. It was interesting to see how they lived the rest of their lives.