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Nazis on the Potomac: The Top-Secret Intelligence Operation that Helped Win World War II Kindle Edition

by Robert K. Sutton (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 37 ratings
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“A fascinating account” of the secret Virginia facility code-named PO Box 1142, where the US gathered intelligence and interrogated German prisoners (Journal of Counterterrorism & Homeland Security International).
 
About fifteen miles south of Washington, DC, Fort Hunt, Virginia is a green open space enjoyed by residents. But not so long ago, it was the site of one of the highest-level clandestine operations of World War II.
 
Shortly after the US entered the war, the military realized it had to work on exploiting any advantages it might gain on the Axis Powers. One part of this endeavor was to establish a secret facility not too close to—but also not too far from—the Pentagon, which would interrogate and eavesdrop on the highest-level Nazi prisoners and also translate and analyze captured German war documents. That complex was established at Fort Hunt, known by the code name: PO Box 1142.
 
The American servicemen who did the interrogating and translating were young, bright, hardworking, and absolutely dedicated to their work. Many of them were Jews who’d escaped Nazi Germany as children—some had come to America with their parents, others had escaped alone, but their experiences, and what they’d been forced to leave behind, meant they had personal motivation to do whatever they could to defeat Nazi Germany. They were perfect for the difficult and complex job at hand. They never used corporal punishment in interrogations of German soldiers but developed and deployed dozens of tricks to gain information. The Allies won the war against Hitler for a host of reasons, discussed in hundreds of volumes. This is the first book to describe the intelligence operations at PO Box 1142 and their part in that success. It will never be known how many American lives were spared, or whether the war ended sooner with the programs at Fort Hunt, but it’s doubtless that they made a difference—and gave the young Jewish men stationed there the chance to combat the evil that had befallen them and their families.
 
“Fills a gap in World War II intelligence history by documenting the origins of a number of European Theater intelligence successes thanks to the work of Ft. Hunt interrogators.” —Studies in Intelligence
 
Includes photographs
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  1. Print length
    225 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  4. Publisher
    Casemate
  5. Publication date
    January 7, 2022
  6. File size
    39091 KB
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"Relying heavily on personal details to deliver its punch, this book is readable, interesting, and elegantly produced. The photographs are well chosen and complement the narrative. The bibliography and endnotes will help those readers who want to explore the subject further."
The Journal of America's Military Past

"Bob Sutton has managed to retain the interest of the reader in this complicated and unusual narrative by selecting a number of 'Ritchie Boys' (and others) and throughout the book he provides details of their lives which makes their unusual accomplishments understandable."
Paul Fairbrook, Veteran, Military Intelligence Research Section at Fort Hunt

"This is a fascinating account of the secret facility, known by the code name of 'PO Box 1142,' which was established by the U.S. Government near the Pentagon during the Second World War to interrogate and surveil high-ranking Nazi war prisoners, as well as to translate and analyze important captured German war-related documents."
Journal of Counterterrorism & Homeland Security International

“A unique and hitherto obscured aspect of the American involvement in World War II, [this book] is an exceptionally well written, organized and presented account of a once heavily classified military intelligence gathering program."
Midwest Book Review

"...appropriate for anyone with an interest in the history of World War II and in particular, its intelligence services."
ARMY Magazine

"Sutton tells the incredible previously secret story of an institution where Americans listened and learned the lessons needed to win World War II.”
New York Journal of Books

"...a full account of the crucial work done at Fort Hunt."
ARGunners.com

"... fills a gap in World War II intelligence history by documenting the origins of a number of European Theater intelligence successes thanks to the work of Ft. Hunt interrogators. It demonstrates how good intelligence arises from patient accumulation and synthesis of information. Sutton also reminds us of the value in selecting the right people for the job and letting them do their thing."
Studies in Intelligence

About the Author

Robert K. Sutton recently retired as Chief Historian of the National Park Service, which culminated a 33-year career in the service. On his first day in this position, he met with the team interviewing the veterans who served at Fort Hunt during World War II. He encouraged the group in their efforts and was able to subsidize travel to complete the interviews. National Park Service historians did an absolutely masterful job of tracking down surviving veterans and capturing their stories. The author is writing this book with the belief that it should be a vehicle to share these stories with as wide an audience as possible. In addition to this volume, the author has published a number of books, articles and reviews on various public history topics.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B09QM5DMLG
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Casemate (January 7, 2022)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ January 7, 2022
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 39091 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 225 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 37 ratings

About the author

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Robert K. Sutton

Robert K. Sutton

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Robert K. Sutton retired as Chief Historian of the National Park Service in 2016, after having served in the position for nearly nine years. He came to this position following his tenure as the Superintendent of Manassas National Battlefield Park for the previous 12 ½ years. From 1986 to 1990, he directed the Historic Preservation and Historical Administration public history programs at Arizona State University. He has published a number of books, articles and reviews on various public history topics. One of his primary interests as Chief Historian and as Superintendent at Manassas Battlefield was leading the emphasis on expanding the interpretation of the Civil War for the Sesquicentennial. As part of that effort, he encouraged Civil War battlefields to expand their interpretive programs to focus more attention to the social, economic, and political issues during the Civil War Era.

Dr. Sutton is currently serving as a consultant to the American Battle Monuments Commission, assisting commission staff in developing interpretive programs to commemorate the Centennial of World War I. In that program, he is editing a collection of essays by leading World War I historians that will be available in April 2017.

Dr. Sutton also has written a book on the Civil War Era in Kansas, that will be published by Skyhorse Publishing in August 2017. The book will explore the efforts of abolitionists to ensure that the Territory of Kansas would become a free state, focusing on the support of Amos Lawrence, a wealthy businessman in Boston, to the town that bore his name in Lawrence, Kansas. Dr. Sutton tells the story from the perspective of the major players. The book is titled: Stark Mad Abolitionists: Lawrence, Kansas and the Battle Over Slavery in the Civil War Era.

A blurb for the book is attached here: http://skyhorsepublishing.com/titles/12108-9781510716490-stark-mad-abolitionists.

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5
37 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Douglas Brisson
5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book
Reviewed in the United States on October 14, 2023
Verified Purchase
I live near the location of this story. My neighbor volunteers for the Park Service and knows the historian who wrote this. I have given copies to several friends.
One person found this helpful
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EdieN
5.0 out of 5 stars Highly readable, previously untold story
Reviewed in the United States on February 13, 2022
Verified Purchase
As the daughter of a German-Jewish refugee from the Nazis, this book struck a chord. My late Mother came to the United States as a teenager in the 1930's. The stories of the young German-Jewish refugees who provided critical intelligence assistance to the United States during WWII were hauntingly familiar. I particularly liked that they were able to get extensive information from the war prisoners without resorting to torture.

It's very fortunate that this story was developed during the window of time between declassification of the operation and before the generation of men who carried out these operations died.
5 people found this helpful
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HL
5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful
Reviewed in the United States on February 13, 2023
What fascinating men they helped win the war and get back at the Nazis! Also what great post war careers.
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