Description
Book SynopsisThis history of Asian Americans in the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) during World War II reveals the inner workings of this spy agency and how Euroamerican leaders' conceptions of "race" and "loyalty" shaped US wartime intelligence.
Trade ReviewRecognizing their (Asian Americans) service, he provides a more intricate and nuanced account of their wartime activities. * F. Ng, CHOICE *
Hayashi argues that even though the Euroamericans leading the OSS proved more open to racial diversity than most U.S. military units in the war, the recruitment of Asian Americans was not without unique challenges given the complexities of Asian American experiences with the United States....This book represents a thoughtful examination of the questions of loyalty and identity, and it delivers on its promise of at least a few good spy adventures....This deep dive into OSS records allows Hayashi to provide detailed examples of Asian Americans involved in every unit or operation he discusses, and...he offers a useful resource for scholars interested in the OSS and the role of race in intelligence operations....Hayashi does a remarkable job weaving together context and experiences. * Meredith Oyen, Journal of American History *
By making extensive use of the personnel files of the World War II–era Office of Strategic Services, the precursor to the CIA, Hayashi provides remarkable insight into how the intelligence agency used Asian Americans in the fight against Japan. * Lawrence D. Freedman, Foreign Affairs *
Spies, triple agents, a Chinese American James Bond, Asian American Special Ops, and the paradoxical role of race in US wartime espionage—Hayashi's pioneering study is a real page-turner full of surprises! * Gordon H. Chang, author of Ghosts of Gold Mountain: The Epic Story of the Chinese Who Built the Transcontinental Railroad *
Asian American Spies offers new and important insights on US intelligence in the Pacific War. Exploring the role of a range of fascinating figures serving in the Office of Strategic Services, it reshapes our ideas about the intersection of ethnicity and espionage during this historic conflict. Readable, fabulously researched, and full of remarkable new stories, this book is a masterpiece and should be read by anyone interested in the rise of American intelligence during the twentieth century. * Richard J. Aldrich, University of Warwick *
A rare study of how wartime necessity to fight an Asian enemy prompted the Office of Strategic Services to recruit skilled Asian Americans. It demonstrates that such wartime expediency enhanced racial diversity in the federal service, but also posed serious challenges to loyalty, citizenship, internal security, and ultimately what it means to be 'American.' * Miles M. Yu, United States Naval Academy *
Table of ContentsAcknowledgements Prologue: A Trojan Horse? Introduction Ch. 1. Creating an Inclusive, Centralized Intelligence Agency Ch. 2. Recruiting Asian Americans with the Right Stuff Ch. 3. Morale Operations and Talking Their Way into Japan Ch. 4. Fighting Like a Man, Special Operations Style Ch. 5. The Long and Short of Spying for Research & Analysis and Secret Intelligence Ch. 6. Rescuing POWs, Countering Enemy Spies, and Encountering Collaborators Ch. 7. Loyalty, Treason, and Asian Americans Epilogue: Unveiling the Trojan Horse Notes Selected Bibliography Index
