{"product_id":"oss-the-secret-history-of-americas-first-central-intelligence-agency-9780739457573","title":"OSS: The Secret History of America's First Central Intelligence Agency","description":"\u003cp\u003eIn the months before World War II  FDR prepared the country for conflict with Germany and Japan by reshuffling various government agencies to create the Office of Strategic ServicesAmericas first intelligence agency and the direct precursor to the CIA. When he charged William (\"Wild Bill\") Donovan  a successful Wall Street lawyer and Wilkie Republican  to head up the office  the die was set for some of the most fantastic and fascinating operations the U.S. government has ever conducted.Author Richard Harris Smith  himself an ex-CIA hand  documents the controversial agency from its conception as a spin-off of the Office of the Coordinator for Information to its demise under Harry Truman and reconfiguration as the CIA.During his tenure  Donovan oversaw a chaotic cast of some ten thousand agents drawn from the most conservative financial scions to the countrys most idealistic New Deal true believers. Together they usurped the roles of government agencies both foreign and domestic  concocted unbelievably complicated conspiracies  and fought the good fight against the Axis powers of Germany and Japan.Colorful personalities and truly priceless anecdotes abound in what may arguably be called the most authoritative work on the subject.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"My Store","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45272876482613,"sku":"ByrdShop_0739457578","price":90.49,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0627\/8139\/0901\/files\/9780739457573.jpg?v=1780485280","url":"https:\/\/atxbooks.com\/products\/oss-the-secret-history-of-americas-first-central-intelligence-agency-9780739457573","provider":"ATX Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}