What do you think?
Rate this book
Secret Soldiers: How the U.S. Twenty-Third Special Troops Fooled the Nazis
What do set design, sound effects, and showmanship have to do with winning World War II? Meet the Ghost Army that played a surprising role in helping to deceive — and defeat — the Nazis.
In his third book about deception during war, Paul B. Janeczko focuses his lens on World War II and the operations carried out by the Twenty-Third Headquarters Special Troops, aka the Ghost Army. This remarkable unit included actors, camouflage experts, sound engineers, painters, and set designers who used their skills to secretly and systematically replace fighting units — fooling the Nazi army into believing what their eyes and ears told them, even though the sights and sounds of tanks and war machines and troops were entirely fabricated. Follow the Twenty-Third into Europe as they play a dangerous game of enticing the German army into making battlefield mistakes by using sonic deceptions, inflatable tanks, pyrotechnics, and camouflage in more than twenty operations. From the Normandy invasion to the crossing of the Rhine River, the men of the Ghost Army — several of whom went on to become famous artists and designers after the war — played an improbable role in the Allied victory.
In his third book about deception during war, Paul B. Janeczko focuses his lens on World War II and the operations carried out by the Twenty-Third Headquarters Special Troops, aka the Ghost Army. This remarkable unit included actors, camouflage experts, sound engineers, painters, and set designers who used their skills to secretly and systematically replace fighting units — fooling the Nazi army into believing what their eyes and ears told them, even though the sights and sounds of tanks and war machines and troops were entirely fabricated. Follow the Twenty-Third into Europe as they play a dangerous game of enticing the German army into making battlefield mistakes by using sonic deceptions, inflatable tanks, pyrotechnics, and camouflage in more than twenty operations. From the Normandy invasion to the crossing of the Rhine River, the men of the Ghost Army — several of whom went on to become famous artists and designers after the war — played an improbable role in the Allied victory.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published April 23, 2019
21 people are currently reading
216 people want to read
About the author
Paul B. Janeczko
62 books48 followersPaul B. Janeczko is a poet and teacher and has edited more than twenty award-winning poetry anthologies for young people, including STONE BENCH IN AN EMPTY PARK, LOOKING FOR YOUR NAME, SEEING THE BLUE BETWEEN, and A POKE IN THE I, which was an American Library Association Notable Book.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 69 reviews
May 22, 2020
Secret Soldiers is a detailed account of how various American World War II military units used deception, camouflage, and trickery to fool the Nazis about troop whereabouts and maneuvers. The tactics are more prominent than the people in these accounts, and that might be off-putting for many readers; however, every class has one or two students who are passionate about learning history, military minutiae, and especially World War II. This book is just right for those young readers.
October 16, 2019
This account of the U.S. Twenty-Third Special unit revealed a little known aspect of World War II. This unit was formed, not for combat, but for deception operations. While deception was not considered an acceptable war tactic by many when the U.S. first joined the war, it soon became evident that it would be necessary in order to defeat the Germans. Thus the Twenty-Third Special was created. Each part of the unit had a unique role to play in fooling the Nazis. The 603rd Engineer Battalion focused on camouflage techniques. Signal Company Special worked on creating misleading radio communications. The 406th Combat Engineers provided security for the whole unit. And the 3132nd Signal Service Company Special created recordings and sound effects for the unit to use. Together this four groups would work to fool the Nazis regarding troop movements and locations. Janeczko provides information on the creation of the group, the training they received, their movements once they got to Europe and the missions they completed. While I found the book interesting and details fascinating, the missions did start to all sound the same after a while. Which makes sense though because that's what this unit was created to do. And while the missions all sound similar, there were unique aspects, such as how many men were sent into the field on each mission, and where the focus was for that mission. A well-written account of a unique aspect of World War II history for both junior and high school readers who can't get enough.
January 20, 2020
It tries really hard to be informative without being dense, but for someone with interest in military history without being obsessed with it, it was dry in parts. Certainly though the book is not for the lack of interesting strategies for how the US fooled military operations against the Nazis with a creative troop force using the most cutting edge science and technology they could to move against their military without actually doing so.
It's not too long and not too hard to understand, just very, very niche in it's audience to read it cover to cover. It could be used in research and also fits in the category of untold stories that need telling, but it's just not the kind of read you pick up on a Sunday for learning and (because it's a book) entertainment.
It's not too long and not too hard to understand, just very, very niche in it's audience to read it cover to cover. It could be used in research and also fits in the category of untold stories that need telling, but it's just not the kind of read you pick up on a Sunday for learning and (because it's a book) entertainment.
June 13, 2020
Lovingly researched and excruciatingly boring. The available analysis of this long held secret appears to be a giant question mark as to whether or not it made any real difference. Fun concept for a book tho.
April 27, 2019
In addition to Paul B. Janeczko's love of poetry and teaching poetry, he also was highly interested in the secrets of World War II. Earlier, he published 'Top Secret' about codes and ciphers and more recently, 'Double Cross', deception techniques in war. This time, the focus lies on the Twenty-Third Special Troops whose complex and challenging goal was to create camouflage in various areas, sound and sight. Janeczko passed away earlier this year, and the publisher says only that they have two more scripts. Thanks to Candlewick Press for this Advanced Copy, full of details and a celebration of the innovative work done by these smart soldiers. They were sworn to secrecy for fifty years and only recently has the story become de-classified and able to be told. Extensive source notes are given at the back. This will be a terrific book for those interested in the details of this secret war against the Nazis.
August 9, 2020
Interesting concept that I had never heard of before - soldiers with backgrounds in art, stage, design, and sound created a “fake” unit to confuse the Germans and draw them to other areas while the Allies battled in strategic zones. The unit created fake equipment, fake towns, dummies, and even sounds of tanks moving, men shouting to camouflage the battle units. At first I thought that these men must have had it easy but the author emphasized that, if the Germans had figured out what was going on, the unit would essentially be defenseless. It makes me wonder if this camouflaging unit would be used in war today. Probably not? I know so little about war.
While there were quite a few details to get bogged down, my favorite part of the book was the artist profiles. Men in these units included Ellsworth Kelly, Arthur Singer, and Bill Blass!!! There were many more, of course, but those were the artist profiles I remember. It was so refreshing to hear that these amazing artists were able to use their craft in war and in their careers.
Interesting concept and glad it was a free audiobook or I would likely have never discovered it.
While there were quite a few details to get bogged down, my favorite part of the book was the artist profiles. Men in these units included Ellsworth Kelly, Arthur Singer, and Bill Blass!!! There were many more, of course, but those were the artist profiles I remember. It was so refreshing to hear that these amazing artists were able to use their craft in war and in their careers.
Interesting concept and glad it was a free audiobook or I would likely have never discovered it.
October 2, 2019
Secret Soldiers: How the U.S Twenty-Third Special Troops Fooled the Nazis by Paul Janeczko is a nonfiction book about Allied deception efforts during World War II. Also known as the "Ghost Army", these troops brought a new perspective to warfare and were a key part of the Allied victory. Janezco goes into great detail about the training and operations of the Twenty-Third Special Troops, describing how decoy tanks, intercepted radio messages and more were used to masterfully spin a web of lies.
Reading this book was a very enjoyable experience for me. I have always enjoyed learning about World War II, but had no idea of the incredible role deception efforts from this unit played in the success of the Allied forces. Secret Soldiers presented an intriguing look into an aspect of the war I had never before considered. The effect of deception on the enemy was not always prominent, but the Twenty-Third always made a mark on any operation they were present in.
In addition to their contributions to the war effort, it was also fascinating to witness the progression of the Twenty-Third preparing itself for battle. From their conception in 1944, the Twenty-Third had many obstacles to maneuver to become an asset to the Allied forces, rather than just a waste of manpower and resources. Many of the older commanders were not supportive of commanding a fake army with the purpose of confusing the enemy; Colonel Harry L. Reeder called the unit “sneaky and weird”. The Twenty-Third’s recruiting process also turned some heads, as they focused on acquiring creative soldiers with talents for art and technology. These soldiers then spent months preparing decoy tanks and recording sounds associated with troops (gun fire, marching boots, yelling, etc.). For example, the men of the 603rd Camouflage Engineers (the artists of the Twenty-Third) had to find a balance between hiding the decoy objects from view while also making them somewhat visible to the enemy from above. Overall, the effort of the Twenty-Third was truly unique, and opened my mind to how diverse warfare can be.
The last thing I really liked about this book were the frequent information briefings thrown in to break up the main passage. It prevented the reader from getting lost in a sea of operation code names, and was very helpful to explain important technological and historical concepts. The information also makes the book more accessible for a reader with limited background knowledge about World War II.
I would recommend this book to anybody above 13 who enjoys reading about history and World War II. Secret Soldiers is chock-full of information, but can be dense and hard to get through for a reader who is not interested in small details. But for anyone who loves the numbers and names, this book will feel much too short.
My star rating is five because it was a well-written book that provided detailed insight into an aspect of World War II that most people have never even heard about. It was amazing to hold at my fingertips information and battle plans that were once so classified that the soldiers within the unit did not know it. Thanks to Secret Soldiers, the efforts of the "Ghost Army" will never be forgotten.
Review by Anya A, Age 14, Metropolitan Washington Mensa
Reading this book was a very enjoyable experience for me. I have always enjoyed learning about World War II, but had no idea of the incredible role deception efforts from this unit played in the success of the Allied forces. Secret Soldiers presented an intriguing look into an aspect of the war I had never before considered. The effect of deception on the enemy was not always prominent, but the Twenty-Third always made a mark on any operation they were present in.
In addition to their contributions to the war effort, it was also fascinating to witness the progression of the Twenty-Third preparing itself for battle. From their conception in 1944, the Twenty-Third had many obstacles to maneuver to become an asset to the Allied forces, rather than just a waste of manpower and resources. Many of the older commanders were not supportive of commanding a fake army with the purpose of confusing the enemy; Colonel Harry L. Reeder called the unit “sneaky and weird”. The Twenty-Third’s recruiting process also turned some heads, as they focused on acquiring creative soldiers with talents for art and technology. These soldiers then spent months preparing decoy tanks and recording sounds associated with troops (gun fire, marching boots, yelling, etc.). For example, the men of the 603rd Camouflage Engineers (the artists of the Twenty-Third) had to find a balance between hiding the decoy objects from view while also making them somewhat visible to the enemy from above. Overall, the effort of the Twenty-Third was truly unique, and opened my mind to how diverse warfare can be.
The last thing I really liked about this book were the frequent information briefings thrown in to break up the main passage. It prevented the reader from getting lost in a sea of operation code names, and was very helpful to explain important technological and historical concepts. The information also makes the book more accessible for a reader with limited background knowledge about World War II.
I would recommend this book to anybody above 13 who enjoys reading about history and World War II. Secret Soldiers is chock-full of information, but can be dense and hard to get through for a reader who is not interested in small details. But for anyone who loves the numbers and names, this book will feel much too short.
My star rating is five because it was a well-written book that provided detailed insight into an aspect of World War II that most people have never even heard about. It was amazing to hold at my fingertips information and battle plans that were once so classified that the soldiers within the unit did not know it. Thanks to Secret Soldiers, the efforts of the "Ghost Army" will never be forgotten.
Review by Anya A, Age 14, Metropolitan Washington Mensa
January 26, 2019
This review is available on my blog, Read Till Dawn.
Okay, this is actually really funny. When I read Secret Soldiers, I made a mental note to mention another book that I read for review last year which was what first taught me about the role of deception in wars, including World War II. I just looked it back up, and it's called Double Cross: Deception Techniques in War (here's my review).
The funny part? It was also written by Janeczko! The man clearly has a focused passion for deception tactics in combat, which is a strangely specific topic, but I said in my review of Double Cross that I learned a lot from reading it and enjoyed myself in the process and I would say that holds roughly true for Secret Soldiers as well.
It was a bit harder to keep track of all the moving parts since the Twenty-Third was split into several smaller groups that specialized in different parts of the deception (building the dummies, playing the audio sounds, etc.). It almost became a bit tedious at times, too, since several of their missions basically consisted of showing up, getting all set up, and then leaving pretty soon afterwards. And then, because of miscommunication with the regular soldiers they were working with, they were often not deployed where they could be the most helpful so all of their efforts may or may not have actually done anything.
There were certainly some times when they definitely made a difference, though, and it was cooler to learn about those. And I appreciated Janeczko's thoroughness, for the sake of a complete history book, even if it didn't all thrill me.
He does a good job of including details about all the people in the Twenty-Third. There were so many people who would go on to be famous artists, or actors, and he gives many of them their own inserts so we get to learn their unique stories alongside the story of the "Ghost Army" as a mass.
All in all, this is a well-researched and cohesive book that will be perfect for some readers, and perhaps a bit dry for others. If you're at all interested in the Ghost Army, though, then this is definitely a great place to start.
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Okay, this is actually really funny. When I read Secret Soldiers, I made a mental note to mention another book that I read for review last year which was what first taught me about the role of deception in wars, including World War II. I just looked it back up, and it's called Double Cross: Deception Techniques in War (here's my review).
The funny part? It was also written by Janeczko! The man clearly has a focused passion for deception tactics in combat, which is a strangely specific topic, but I said in my review of Double Cross that I learned a lot from reading it and enjoyed myself in the process and I would say that holds roughly true for Secret Soldiers as well.
It was a bit harder to keep track of all the moving parts since the Twenty-Third was split into several smaller groups that specialized in different parts of the deception (building the dummies, playing the audio sounds, etc.). It almost became a bit tedious at times, too, since several of their missions basically consisted of showing up, getting all set up, and then leaving pretty soon afterwards. And then, because of miscommunication with the regular soldiers they were working with, they were often not deployed where they could be the most helpful so all of their efforts may or may not have actually done anything.
There were certainly some times when they definitely made a difference, though, and it was cooler to learn about those. And I appreciated Janeczko's thoroughness, for the sake of a complete history book, even if it didn't all thrill me.
He does a good job of including details about all the people in the Twenty-Third. There were so many people who would go on to be famous artists, or actors, and he gives many of them their own inserts so we get to learn their unique stories alongside the story of the "Ghost Army" as a mass.
All in all, this is a well-researched and cohesive book that will be perfect for some readers, and perhaps a bit dry for others. If you're at all interested in the Ghost Army, though, then this is definitely a great place to start.
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
October 25, 2022
E ARC from Netgalley.com
During WWII, there were dozens and dozens of departments and units doing things that 95% of the population still has no clue about. Whether it was the art units or African-American women sorting mail, the Fly Girls, or the Candy Bombers, I am always amazed by the things I read about WWII that most of the history buffs I know aren't even aware of! Certainly, very few people know about the Twenty-Third Headquarters Special Troops, also known as the Ghost Army. Their job was to go in, with about 1,100 members, and impersonate troops of up to 50,000 soldiers or sailors. They were also instrumental in throwing off the enemy by making it look like there were tanks, encampments, and even troop transport ships when they were merely inflatable items and scores of dummies! Even better, Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. was instrumental in the idea! It was sort of like a covert USO, made up of artists, sound technicians, and other special effects experts. My favorite was when they staged a naval attack to try to siphon troops away from the area where an actual attack was planned-- they had the fake ships, threw up a smoke screen, played sound effects, and sent in a few bombs! And it actually worked. Tactics like this would probably not work today, but how intriguing that they did.
This followed the group from their inception through the many different activities in which they were involved in a very orderly fashion, and there were lots of good pictures of people, equipment, and areas. There were so many fascinating details that I wanted to share with someone: did you know that Quonset huts were called Nissen huts in the UK? That the Beach Jumpers were named that because they wanted other words to fit the acronym for be-jesus? And... Douglas Fairbanks, Jr.!
Here's the thing: I have zero interest in WWII. None. And yet, my students love to read about it, so I have acquired enough of a background knowledge that I could, say, hold up my end of the conversation if I were on a date with a WWII buff. This book was so well-researched; where would you even get pictures of the fake tanks? Surely, there was some kind of security that would have made this difficult to sneak back home after the war.
This is an essential addition to a middle school or high school library, and will probably be my nominee for the Cybils middle grade nonfiction award for 2019.
Well done, Mr. Janeczko.
During WWII, there were dozens and dozens of departments and units doing things that 95% of the population still has no clue about. Whether it was the art units or African-American women sorting mail, the Fly Girls, or the Candy Bombers, I am always amazed by the things I read about WWII that most of the history buffs I know aren't even aware of! Certainly, very few people know about the Twenty-Third Headquarters Special Troops, also known as the Ghost Army. Their job was to go in, with about 1,100 members, and impersonate troops of up to 50,000 soldiers or sailors. They were also instrumental in throwing off the enemy by making it look like there were tanks, encampments, and even troop transport ships when they were merely inflatable items and scores of dummies! Even better, Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. was instrumental in the idea! It was sort of like a covert USO, made up of artists, sound technicians, and other special effects experts. My favorite was when they staged a naval attack to try to siphon troops away from the area where an actual attack was planned-- they had the fake ships, threw up a smoke screen, played sound effects, and sent in a few bombs! And it actually worked. Tactics like this would probably not work today, but how intriguing that they did.
This followed the group from their inception through the many different activities in which they were involved in a very orderly fashion, and there were lots of good pictures of people, equipment, and areas. There were so many fascinating details that I wanted to share with someone: did you know that Quonset huts were called Nissen huts in the UK? That the Beach Jumpers were named that because they wanted other words to fit the acronym for be-jesus? And... Douglas Fairbanks, Jr.!
Here's the thing: I have zero interest in WWII. None. And yet, my students love to read about it, so I have acquired enough of a background knowledge that I could, say, hold up my end of the conversation if I were on a date with a WWII buff. This book was so well-researched; where would you even get pictures of the fake tanks? Surely, there was some kind of security that would have made this difficult to sneak back home after the war.
This is an essential addition to a middle school or high school library, and will probably be my nominee for the Cybils middle grade nonfiction award for 2019.
Well done, Mr. Janeczko.
June 5, 2019
Featured in "World War II Nonfiction for Young Readers: D-Day Edition" on Intellectual Recreation.
The Twenty-Third Special Troops or Ghost Army was created to perfect and deploy deception techniques that would misled the Nazis and give the Allies the advantage of surprise. It was a unit made up of artists, actors, sound engineers, and set designers. They pulled off their deceptions by employing inflatable dummy tanks and guns, phony radio messages, sonic deception, and good acting. One of the first missions of the Twenty-Third was to convince the Nazis that D-Day would occur at Calais rather than Normandy and at a much later date. Once the invasion was underway the troops came to the continent to execute many other deceptions.
I think the Ghost Army is a really fascinating aspect of military history, and I've enjoyed the other books that I've read on the subject. This book is a very detailed look into the role the Twenty-Third Special Troops played, and I think it got bogged down in the details. The book became very repetitive as it recounted every single mission and all the missions were executed in pretty much the same way. Also, for me, this book was too heavy on the military aspect and too light on the human stories. I think the book really would have been a lot better if we, as readers, got to know more of the individuals who served in the Ghost Army. That said, I liked that the book had information boxes about some of the key weapons and tactics of WWII. I found these to be very helpful, and some of them filled holes in my WWII knowledge. I also really liked the artist notebooks that featured prominent members of the troop. I wish there had been more of them.
I would recommend this book to a young reader who is on the older side or to a reader who really likes military history.
Published April 23rd 2019 by Candlewick Press. Review copy from NetGalley.
The Twenty-Third Special Troops or Ghost Army was created to perfect and deploy deception techniques that would misled the Nazis and give the Allies the advantage of surprise. It was a unit made up of artists, actors, sound engineers, and set designers. They pulled off their deceptions by employing inflatable dummy tanks and guns, phony radio messages, sonic deception, and good acting. One of the first missions of the Twenty-Third was to convince the Nazis that D-Day would occur at Calais rather than Normandy and at a much later date. Once the invasion was underway the troops came to the continent to execute many other deceptions.
I think the Ghost Army is a really fascinating aspect of military history, and I've enjoyed the other books that I've read on the subject. This book is a very detailed look into the role the Twenty-Third Special Troops played, and I think it got bogged down in the details. The book became very repetitive as it recounted every single mission and all the missions were executed in pretty much the same way. Also, for me, this book was too heavy on the military aspect and too light on the human stories. I think the book really would have been a lot better if we, as readers, got to know more of the individuals who served in the Ghost Army. That said, I liked that the book had information boxes about some of the key weapons and tactics of WWII. I found these to be very helpful, and some of them filled holes in my WWII knowledge. I also really liked the artist notebooks that featured prominent members of the troop. I wish there had been more of them.
I would recommend this book to a young reader who is on the older side or to a reader who really likes military history.
Published April 23rd 2019 by Candlewick Press. Review copy from NetGalley.
January 11, 2020
(See all of my Book Reviews) - "Secret Soldiers: How the U.S. Twenty-Third Special Troops Fooled the Nazis" eBook was published in 2019 and was written by Paul B. Janeczko (https://www.paulbjaneczko.com). Mr. Janeczko has published 9 books.
I received an ARC of this novel through https://www.netgalley.com in return for a fair and honest review. I categorize this novel as ‘G’. The book tells the story of the Twenty-Third Headquarters Special Troop unit of the US Army in WWII.
This group, also known as the Ghost Army, were used in Europe to deceive and mislead the German Army. This was an unusual collection of artists, actors and engineers who used sound, camouflage, radio traffic, and play acting to make the Germans see what wasn’t really there.
Many in the US Army did not like the idea of using tricks to fool the Germans. However, after the British successfully used subterfuge on the Germans in North Africa and proponents of the idea, including US Navy Lieutenant Douglas Fairbanks Jr (the noted actor) were able to sell the idea to the upper echelons of the Army, the unit was approved. The unit was quickly pulled together, trained, and sailed for England in early 1944.
The unit took part in more than 20 battlefield deceptions and the unit was kept secret for more than 40 years after WWII ended. The 23rd had three different methods of deception: visual, sonic and radio. Because of their need for the Germans to generally see and or hear them, they operated very close to the front lines and suffered a few casualties.
I enjoyed the 5.5 hours I spent reading this 305-page history of the WWII era. I had listened a few months ago to a Missed in History Class podcast episode about the Ghost Army. This book goes into much more detail about those in the unit and their operations. I like the selected cover art. I give this book a 4 out of 5.
Further book reviews I have written can be accessed at https://johnpurvis.wordpress.com/blog/.
I received an ARC of this novel through https://www.netgalley.com in return for a fair and honest review. I categorize this novel as ‘G’. The book tells the story of the Twenty-Third Headquarters Special Troop unit of the US Army in WWII.
This group, also known as the Ghost Army, were used in Europe to deceive and mislead the German Army. This was an unusual collection of artists, actors and engineers who used sound, camouflage, radio traffic, and play acting to make the Germans see what wasn’t really there.
Many in the US Army did not like the idea of using tricks to fool the Germans. However, after the British successfully used subterfuge on the Germans in North Africa and proponents of the idea, including US Navy Lieutenant Douglas Fairbanks Jr (the noted actor) were able to sell the idea to the upper echelons of the Army, the unit was approved. The unit was quickly pulled together, trained, and sailed for England in early 1944.
The unit took part in more than 20 battlefield deceptions and the unit was kept secret for more than 40 years after WWII ended. The 23rd had three different methods of deception: visual, sonic and radio. Because of their need for the Germans to generally see and or hear them, they operated very close to the front lines and suffered a few casualties.
I enjoyed the 5.5 hours I spent reading this 305-page history of the WWII era. I had listened a few months ago to a Missed in History Class podcast episode about the Ghost Army. This book goes into much more detail about those in the unit and their operations. I like the selected cover art. I give this book a 4 out of 5.
Further book reviews I have written can be accessed at https://johnpurvis.wordpress.com/blog/.
January 30, 2019
In 1944 the U.S. military began using soldiers of deception to fool the Germans. These soldiers used inflatable tanks, sonic sounds and theatrics to deceive the German Army into thinking there were larger battalions than there actually was, forcing them to concede ground or shift positions for the “real army” to invade. This unit was comprised of radio men, artists, designers and actors, recruited for the purpose of theatrical deception. One of their Captains was directly out of Hollywood and several members went on to become successful artists and fashion designers. All in all, this team served 21 missions and given the nature of their work it was often hard to classify their missions as “success” or “failure,” but regardless, the secret of their unit remained hidden within them for 50 years until the U.S. declassified it. Their stories are told here.
This book enlightened me with an entirely new aspect of WWII. I had not previously been aware of the U.S.’s attempt at deception in several key advances. That said, I would have liked to see more on the background, history and futures of the men who served in this unit. Much of the story was densely packed with military terminology and movement patterns. For the average reader, the excitement was too frequently lost in the descriptive language and mission objectives. Throughout the book, the author rewarded us with stories highlighting a technique (bridges), member of the unit or famous battle. These provided much needed respite from the lengthy and long-winded mission details and were deliberately placed within chapters.
This read exposes readers to the secrets of WWII, but unless you are a serious “history buff,” the long-winded details may wear you down.
*Disclaimer: A review copy of this book was provided by the publisher. All opinions are my own.
This book enlightened me with an entirely new aspect of WWII. I had not previously been aware of the U.S.’s attempt at deception in several key advances. That said, I would have liked to see more on the background, history and futures of the men who served in this unit. Much of the story was densely packed with military terminology and movement patterns. For the average reader, the excitement was too frequently lost in the descriptive language and mission objectives. Throughout the book, the author rewarded us with stories highlighting a technique (bridges), member of the unit or famous battle. These provided much needed respite from the lengthy and long-winded mission details and were deliberately placed within chapters.
This read exposes readers to the secrets of WWII, but unless you are a serious “history buff,” the long-winded details may wear you down.
*Disclaimer: A review copy of this book was provided by the publisher. All opinions are my own.
May 11, 2020
In this *exhaustively* researched book, Paul Janeczko goes over how deception tactics such as sound effects, inflatables and disinformation helped lay the groundwork for an Allied victory in WWII.
The information presented is useful and the audio doesn't run too long at just under seven hours, but my goodness did it get dry at times. I double-checked my chapter settings more than once because it seemed like the same exact maneuver was being repeated over and over.
I did appreciate the breakout biographies of individual artists who took part in the operation, and I understand how important the setup was as far as espionage goes, but I can't imagine a young person who isn't already obsessed with this history finding this of the remotest interest.
I would recommend this as a paper research volume, and to be read by history buffs who want a deeper understanding. As a general read, however, Secret Soldiers is not necessarily the first book I would turn to for an overview, because it is much more of a deep dive; much too deep a dive for me.
The information presented is useful and the audio doesn't run too long at just under seven hours, but my goodness did it get dry at times. I double-checked my chapter settings more than once because it seemed like the same exact maneuver was being repeated over and over.
I did appreciate the breakout biographies of individual artists who took part in the operation, and I understand how important the setup was as far as espionage goes, but I can't imagine a young person who isn't already obsessed with this history finding this of the remotest interest.
I would recommend this as a paper research volume, and to be read by history buffs who want a deeper understanding. As a general read, however, Secret Soldiers is not necessarily the first book I would turn to for an overview, because it is much more of a deep dive; much too deep a dive for me.
June 20, 2019
MY THOUGHTS:
I received this book in exchange for my honest review.
What can I say. Brilliant, fantastic story, incredible account of things I didn’t know about.
Geniuses! I’m so glad I had the opportunity to read about a time my father was actively involved in.
The author lays everything out perfectly with supporting photos/illustrations to aid in the story-telling. This is a page-turner for those interested in history and specifically interested in World War II.
My father wouldn’t talk too much about the war, but the bits and pieces he did choose to share were remarkable. This book gives insight into the means taken for operations to foil the Nazis carried out by special troops comprised of actors, technicians, props, set designers, etc. Who would have thought. Absolutely brilliant!
I received this book in exchange for my honest review.
What can I say. Brilliant, fantastic story, incredible account of things I didn’t know about.
Geniuses! I’m so glad I had the opportunity to read about a time my father was actively involved in.
The author lays everything out perfectly with supporting photos/illustrations to aid in the story-telling. This is a page-turner for those interested in history and specifically interested in World War II.
My father wouldn’t talk too much about the war, but the bits and pieces he did choose to share were remarkable. This book gives insight into the means taken for operations to foil the Nazis carried out by special troops comprised of actors, technicians, props, set designers, etc. Who would have thought. Absolutely brilliant!
June 27, 2022
I really struggled reading this. While the topic is fascinating, reading through the excruciating minutia of every detail is laborious. Appropriately placed maps and phots helped to break the density of subject matter. However, very distracting and disruptive were the mini biographies and explanations of units, convoys, actions terms that were plonked right in the midst of a chapter’s text. Thankfully they were on two to four grayed pages that at least alerted you that this material was not a continuation of the previous page. Those mini infomercials would have been nice breaks between chapters, NOT in the midst of them.
Die hard WW II enthusiasts will appreciate reading this deeply researched book with its 24 pages of Source Notes, 6 page Bibliography, 3 page Image Credis, and 8 page Index. Amazing research.
Just not for the average reader.
Die hard WW II enthusiasts will appreciate reading this deeply researched book with its 24 pages of Source Notes, 6 page Bibliography, 3 page Image Credis, and 8 page Index. Amazing research.
Just not for the average reader.
October 23, 2019
This is aimed at WWII buffs; I'm not sure it will carry the non-historical reader into the story. But if you like this stuff (and I do) it's pretty interesting. Janeczko goes over the formation of the 23rd, and then works through each of their missions. Although he pulls out little blurbs for short bios of some of the key members it remains mostly impersonal and an overview rather than follow a few members very tightly.
I know 2-3 page call outs for an in-depth look on something specific (Bailey bridges for river crossings, etc) is all the rage, especially for kid books, but I wish these had been integrated better. It's annoying to break off in the middle of a sentence, hit the new section, and then have to pick up again.
I know 2-3 page call outs for an in-depth look on something specific (Bailey bridges for river crossings, etc) is all the rage, especially for kid books, but I wish these had been integrated better. It's annoying to break off in the middle of a sentence, hit the new section, and then have to pick up again.
August 16, 2020
Secret Soldiers by Paul B. Janeczko read by Ron Butler tells the story of the 23rd Headquarters Special Troops which was also known as the Ghost Army. Devised during World War 2 these artists, engineers, actors and sound technicians all worked together to deceive the Nazi army and draw their attention away from advancing soldiers. Through fake tanks, custom camouflage, specialized sound tracks and deceptive interaction with locals, this group of men tricked the Germans from the Normandy invasion through the Allies overtaking Europe. This book goes into detail describing how they accomplished their success, what did and didn’t work as well as some of the men who played key roles in the 23rd. Middle school WW2 lovers as well as those into the arts will enjoy this book.
May 7, 2021
If you know me, you know that I don't like history. And in particular, I don't like military history. And if we want to get very specific, I really don't want to read about either World War. However, had we been taught any of this in school, I might have been a bit more interested.
I'll admit that my mind did wander while hearing about the deception practices used to (mostly successfully) fool the Nazis into thinking that US troops were in places they weren't, it was still very interesting to hear how they managed these tricks. I also enjoyed hearing about the artists in the military. Again, why is this never mentioned in school?
I'll admit that my mind did wander while hearing about the deception practices used to (mostly successfully) fool the Nazis into thinking that US troops were in places they weren't, it was still very interesting to hear how they managed these tricks. I also enjoyed hearing about the artists in the military. Again, why is this never mentioned in school?
April 8, 2022
Janeczko tells the story of the 23rd, a unit of U.S. troops during World War II tasked with fooling the Nazis about Allied troop movements. With a combination of misleading radio transmissions, fake vehicles, misleading sounds, and just plain old pretending to be part of other units, the 23rd did their best to cause confusion among German troops about where the Allies planned their next attack, starting with the D-Day invasion and ending with the end of the war in the European Theater.
I wasn't as into this as I'd thought I'd be and I'm not sure if it was me or the book. I did think it was cool learning that the 23rd's activities were classified for 50 years, so most discussion of the European theater after D-Day doesn't include the misdirection activities of the 23rd, so I wonder how this information is changing the way we look at that campaign.
I wasn't as into this as I'd thought I'd be and I'm not sure if it was me or the book. I did think it was cool learning that the 23rd's activities were classified for 50 years, so most discussion of the European theater after D-Day doesn't include the misdirection activities of the 23rd, so I wonder how this information is changing the way we look at that campaign.
May 11, 2020
This book was not what i thought it would be. It had so much potential to be a great story. I love historical stories and or historical fiction. This book i listen to and it was listening to a history text book. I didn't feel connected to the people or timeline of events. I felt like it was just sections of facts, dates and a slew of alphabetic soup group names and terms...... It was super disappointing because it could have been told in a great way that would have made it so much more interesting......
May 13, 2020
Had heard a teeny bit about this beforehand from another recommended book years ago (haven’t read the book yet). Didn’t realize that the Americans literally used blow-ups during WWII to trick the nazis. The greater deceptions were created by loud speakers blasting highly accurate sounds of fake troops moving or settling. Absolutely amazing when you realize how new this technology all was, but all the more reason it could work back then and wouldn’t today.
The book got a bit heavy on details at times, but worth a read.
The book got a bit heavy on details at times, but worth a read.
May 13, 2020
Fascinating history of the artists and actors who joined WW2 and led the way for spoof radio, master espionage, and military tactics for concealment in the European theatre. This is my favorite era, and I have never even heard about this unit or what services the soldiers performed during the war. It was truly wonderful. 4 instead of 5 because I listened to it instead of reading it, and through no fault of the actor recording it, his voice is so soothing to me that I fell asleep a few times whilst listening to the recording.
February 28, 2021
The story is fascinating: an army deception unit that is existed during WWII for the sole purpose of using sound effects, staging, and fake vehicles and tanks to deceive Nazi troops about allied forces movements. For 50 years, the secret was protected. Now with highlights of some stories of the men and descriptions of their missions, their role in winning the war is revealed.
The marginal rating is because for me, it was repetitive and bogged down in details of the movements. I would probably feel differently if one of my family members was involved in the operations.
The marginal rating is because for me, it was repetitive and bogged down in details of the movements. I would probably feel differently if one of my family members was involved in the operations.
February 27, 2023
Reason Read: ROOT, Alpha J, TIOLI #12
This was a free download from AudioFile Sync Summer program and therefore its target audience is young people. A WWII story about the use of art, drama in the war. This group of soldiers job was to create a false illusion about US troops to fool the Germans. Many of these soldiers were artists and returned to civilian life and became known artists. They were not allowed to talk about what they did in the service for many years in case this device would be needed again.
This was a free download from AudioFile Sync Summer program and therefore its target audience is young people. A WWII story about the use of art, drama in the war. This group of soldiers job was to create a false illusion about US troops to fool the Germans. Many of these soldiers were artists and returned to civilian life and became known artists. They were not allowed to talk about what they did in the service for many years in case this device would be needed again.
April 22, 2023
I am not sure why others had such an issue with this book. It is a history book. There is some weird formatting. You'll be following the group and then you suddenly follow somebody through to the end of their life. I didn't find that to detrimental. The story was interesting. I learned a lot about these guys. If the program continued, there must have been enough feeling of success in the upper breath that they would continue this program through the desert Storm war. It was interesting to hear about these guys. It is definitely history, but it was an interesting look at a little known history
May 31, 2019
I am happy to see so many odd features about WW2 coming to light in recent years. Some has truly been sad, but other times these quirky little facts come to light and make for entertaining read. In a million years I would never have thought that sets could be used to thwart the enemy! Genius! What an amazing bluff! History and war buffs should enjoy this book.
I received a Kindle Arc from Netgalley in exchange for a fair review.
I received a Kindle Arc from Netgalley in exchange for a fair review.
July 2, 2019
Well researched and interesting story about the US 23rd. I knew only a little bit about this unit and as always Janeczko does a thorough job of this nonfiction account. I've read Janeczko's others about WWII which are all excellent. This one was a bit more dense and a slower read for me than the others and I'd suggest this one for the real WWII aficionados rather than for a reader with only casual interest in the topic.
September 7, 2019
Fascinating to learn the story of the US Twenty-Third, which was kept secret for almost 50 years after WWII. For someone who loves military history, this is a great book. For someone like me, just interested in the general history, it was a bit too detailed. Still, definitely recommended for readers age 12 and up who want to know about the deceptions carried out by the unit and the men who made those deceptions work.
Review based on an ARC received through NetGalley.
Review based on an ARC received through NetGalley.
October 31, 2019
Great story of how a disparate group of artists, actors, engineers and theatrical technicians formed a unit to deceive the Germans in WWII. By way of props, sound effects, false transmissions and various activities, they deceived the enemy into believing they were much larger actual combat units. This allowed the actual units to attack unexpectedly. Wonderful incite into some of the individuals and their experiences. Some such as Bill Blass would go on to great success in the arts.
May 13, 2020
A quick read about WWII soldiers whose mission was declassified 50yrs after. They were essentially artists, actors, set designers, sound mixers, etc. who were a deception special unit meant to confuse, misinform, and mess w the German army. With inflatable tanks, massive camo nets, actors spreading misinformation, giant speakers playing varying sounds of army movement,
redesigning trucks to move through areas repeatedly, and more, these guys certainly had an interesting time of it!
redesigning trucks to move through areas repeatedly, and more, these guys certainly had an interesting time of it!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 69 reviews