Date

6-17-2026

Department

College of Arts and Sciences

Degree

Master of Arts in History - Thesis (MA)

Chair

David L. Snead

Keywords

Women, Intelligence, History of Intelligence, Women's History, Office of Strategic Services, OSS, Central Intelligence Agency, CIA, World War II, American Intelligence, 20th Century, William J. Donovan, Assessment of Men

Disciplines

History

Abstract

As the United States entered World War II, President Franklin D. Roosevelt established America's first centralized intelligence organization under the leadership of Major General William J. Donovan in June 1942. The Office of Strategic Services marked the beginning of an established American intelligence community, but it also served as an entryway for women to join the war effort through intelligence work. Through the study of the recruitment, assessment, and training processes and women serving both domestically and abroad, it is possible to establish a more comprehensive view of the true scope of OSS operations during the war. Additionally, the stories of many female OSS personnel help bring into view the rapid growth, development, and expansion of the wartime intelligence organization that paved the way for today's Central Intelligence Agency. The organization’s rapid development under wartime pressure and its integration of female personnel demonstrate the innovation and foundation of the American intelligence community.

Download

Included in

History Commons

Share

COinS