World War II: Office of Strategic Services (OSS) Reports - Donovan Reports - Download

World War II: Office of Strategic Services (OSS) Reports - Donovan Reports

6,692 pages of OSS intelligence in the form of memoranda and reports created by the Office of Strategic Services, OSS, and sent by Major General William Donovan to President Roosevelt.

The first reports in the this collection were prepared by William J. Donovan, in his position as Coordinator of Information, they are followed by reports from Donovan in his new position as director of the new agency Office of Strategic Services. They date from December 12, 1941 to April 1945. Most of these reports take the form of memoranda to President Roosevelt.

The purpose of the memos were to relay intelligence gathered relating to the military and economic activities of the Axis powers, data on Axis morale, and suggestions for U.S. countermeasures and responses. They also include information on Axis propaganda and espionage activities in the United States, in Latin America, and in neutral or occupied nations. As America's role in the war grew, the reports began to deal more with the Allied military situation, war aims, the political situation in Europe, and plans for postwar occupation.

Also included in this collection are Office of Strategic Service’s Coordinator of Intelligence reports "The War This Week,” dating from March 26, 1942 to January 7, 1943. These weekly intelligence bulletins were issued by the OSS to chart the military and political progress of the war in all theaters of operation. They contain information on intelligence data and activities, military operations, propaganda, political conditions, and war production.

Subject highlights among the reports' topics include:

Program of National Reich’s Church of Germany

Political conditions in Germany

Organization of guerrilla warfare

U.S. aid to French Resistance groups

Operations in Yugoslavia, Northern Burma, and Central Europe

Collaboration with Special Operations Executive in Middle East and France

U.S. aid to Yugoslavia

Interaction with International Transport Workers Federation and International Federation of Trade Unions

Moscow Manifesto to Germany

Operations in Balkans and Far East

Plans for postwar division of Germany

Interrogation of German prisoners of war

Surrender of German forces in Northern Italy

Plans for postwar organization of secret intelligence services

Meeting between Donovan and Franz von Papen in Turkey

Plans for trial of German war criminals