Operation Jedburgh : D-Day and America's First Shadow War

by BEAVAN, COLIN (Author)

• ISBN13: 9780143112020
• ISBN10: 0143112023
• Edition: Reprint
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2007-04-24
• Publisher: Penguin (Non-Classics)

Summary

A thrilling account of one of the most important covert operations of World War II In 1943, less than a year before D-Day, nearly three hundred American, British, and French soldiers—shadow warriors—parachuted deep behind enemy lines in France as part of the covert Operation Jedburgh. Working with the beleaguered French Resistance, the Jeds” launched a stunningly effective guerrilla campaign against the Germans in preparation for the Normandy invasion. Colin Beavan, whose grandfather helped direct Operation Jedburgh for the Office of Strategic Services, draws on scores of interviews with the surviving Jeds and their families to tell the thrilling story of the rowdy daredevils who carried out America’s first specialforces missions— forever changing the way Americans wage war.

Author Biography

Colin Beavan is the author of Fingerprints: The Origins of Crime Detection and the Murder Case That Launched Forensic Science. He has written for Esquire, the Atlantic Monthly, Men-'s Journal, Wired, and many other national magazines.

Table of Contents

List of Maps	p. ix
A Note on Dialogue	p. xv
Preface	p. xvii
Dangerous Beginnings
Shadow War Setback	p. 3
Resistance? What Resistance?	p. 10
A Spark of Rebellion	p. 16
Uncle Sam Joins in	p. 23
The Call for Hazardous Duty
A Slim Chance	p. 35
Anyone Here Speak French?	p. 45
We Just Want to Fight	p. 51
Shrinks with Notepads	p. 59
Making Agents
Killing Lessons	p. 69
Give Her a Ring and Say Good-Bye	p. 76
Happy New Year!	p. 82
Close to Mutiny	p. 88
Eisenhower's Plan	p. 95
Some Shit	p. 105
In Case of Death	p. 112
Initial Targets
Suicide Pills	p. 121
Forget About Vengeance	p. 130
Boys vs. Panzers	p. 137
"Alles Kaputt"	p. 144
Blowing Trains to Bits	p. 152
Back in Action	p. 159
Napoleon's Hat	p. 166
Preparing the Fighters
Manna of Weapons	p. 175
What Would Dad Think?	p. 180
Insubordination	p. 186
The Breakout Approaches	p. 197
"In Grave Danger"	p. 203
France Explodes
Cobra Strike	p. 211
"A Message of the Highest Importance"	p. 219
Flying Body Parts	p. 227
Arrested	p. 235
Jeds Rain Down	p. 243
Leaving a Man to Die	p. 249
Stopping the German Escape
Southern Uprising	p. 257
Withdrawal	p. 265
Like Shooting Quail	p. 268
"Purification"	p. 275
Surrender	p. 283
Epilogue	p. 292
Acknowledgments	p. 299
The Jedburgh Teams and Their Members	p. 305
Notes	p. 315
Sources	p. 365
Permissions	p. 383
Index	p. 385
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