Weapon Creators

Bainbridge, Jr., John.  Gun Barons: The Weapons That Transformed America and the Men Who 

         Invented Them.  New York: St. Martin's Press, 2022.  ISBN: 9781250266866

Guns are part of American history.  The Kentucky rifle, The Colt six-shooter, the Winchester rifle have all played a part in American history and American myths.  John Bainbridge, Jr. seeks to bring to life the men behind these iconic firearms in the Gun Barons.

 

Samuel Colt was the first gun baron, but it took him two tries before he was successful with selling his revolver.  It took the endorsement of a Texas Ranger and the Mexican-American War plus a few court cases before his became a major weapons producer.  The Remington family took a while before they became known for their rifles.  Oliver Winchester made a fortune in shirts before he got involved in creating weapons.  Horace Smith was employed by Ethan Allen in helping improve the Allen pepperbox pistol before he joined with Daniel Wesson to make pistols. Christopher Spencer got interested in gun making from time spent on his grandfather's farm.  Each man had to overcome obstacles to succeed.  Some achieved only fleeting success while others went on to great profits and renown.  But each story is intertwined with others and part of the tapestry of American history.  

 

If the reader want an overview of the weapon makers of 19th century America, Gun Barons is the book for you.   The reader will gain an appreciation for how everything works since "no man is an island unto themselves" (John Donne).

Four from the O.S.S!

Rogak, Lisa.  Propaganda Girls: The Secret War of the Women in the O.S.S.  New York: 

        St. Martin's Press, 2025.  ISBN: 9781250275592. 

How much do you know about the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), the World War II predecessor to the CIA? Want to learn more, then join Lisa Rogak as she twines the tales of four women who worked in the Morale Operations branch of the OSS.

 

Lisa Rogak opens with background chapters on each of the four women in Propaganda Girls - Elizabeth "Betty" McDonald, Jane Smith-Hutton, Barbara "Zuzka" Lauwers, and Marlene Dietrich.  The background chapters lay the groundwork and motivation of why each woman volunteered to be part of the OSS's black propaganda operation.  The next several rounds of chapters laid out the various jobs they held and how each of these jobs whether in Washington D.C., in India, China, Italy, or France managed to aid the Allied cause while raising havoc with the Axis forces.  For example, Zuzka had toilet paper created with the image of Hitler's face and the German phrase "Use this side" airdropped behind enemy lines.  She also used POWs to sneak behind German lines in Italy with pamphlets saying that the war was over and Kesselring was in charge.  Betty used her skills as a newspaper reporter to create newsletters dropped on Japan and behind the lines in China to create division in the enemy population.  Jane used her hard-earned knowledge the Japanese language and culture to hold "rumor mill" sessions that proposed various rumors to be spread by spies and to create black propaganda items.  Marlene was involved  radio broadcasts from London that were beamed to Allied troops, but picked up the Germans as well.  She was also in the MUZAK Project which had popular American songs sung in German by German artists.  Marlene recorded 12 songs, some with special lyrics, for the program.  Years later, all 12 songs were released as an album.  Finally, Lisa Rognak covers the lives and careers of all four women after the end of the war.

So, if you are looking for a readable, well-documented account of some of the women who worked for the OSS, pick up Propaganda Girls and settle in for the ride.