Saboteurs : The Nazi Raid on America

Rating:
Summary: 10 stars; must read
Review: A fascinating story, told in flawless, fast-moving prose. Dodds has done his homework in Germany, in the archives, and at the Supreme Court. He has managed to capture the personalities of the Nazi saboteurs and the feel of World War II in America. Buy and read even if you already know the story, or think you have no interest in it.

Rating:
Summary: Lessons We Should Have Learned
Review: In 1942, two teams of Nazi saboteurs were dropped on the beaches of Long Island, New York and Jacksonville, Florida. The eight men selected had all spent time in the United States (two were naturalized citizens) and were unlikely to raise suspicion. The teams had trained in the use of explosives and other means of sabotage and were outfitted with adequate supplies of explosives to severely damage the industrial war effort in the United States. Fortunately, for the United States, the saboteurs selected, for the most part, were anxious to return to family and friends and resume life in the United States. George Dasch, leader of the New York team, quickly made his way to Washington and began unveiling the plot to the FBI. All eight quickly were arrested. A military tribunal was formed. The eight were tried and convicted. Without appeal, six were executed and the remaining two sentenced to life in prison. Sorry, didn't mean to ruin the end of the book--but, hey, this is history, you ought to know!

What makes Dobbs' book especially timely is the lessons that we should have learned then that continue to haunt us today. The first lesson is related to cooperation among government agencies, or perhaps the lack of cooperation. The FBI, the Coast Guard, and other agencies competed to see who would solve the case. Information was not shared among the agencies and the competition was fierce to solve the case. We should have learned. The second lesson relates to the military tribunals. While the stated purpose of this tribunal was to protect national security, the hidden purpose was to protect the FBI and other agencies from charges of incompetence in their handling of the case. The saboteurs' legal counsel appealed to the Supreme Court to rule on the legality of the tribunal. In their ruling "ex parte Quirin" (a ruling cited by the Bush administration in favor of their own military tribunals) the court found the tribunal to be legal (they didn't want to weaken the power of the president during a time of war) but later found that ruling hard to defend. A third lesson is related to the selection of saboteurs. Anytime you select someone for a clandestine mission, their familiarity with the subject of sabotage is both a blessing and a curse. The saboteurs knew the United States well and were able to move about without much detection. They also knew the United States well and wanted to live there again.

I first learned of the Nazi saboteurs when I was in junior high school. Their mug shots and the stories of their landing in the United States was a fascinating, little told story of WWII. I appreciate Michael Dobbs book very much for shedding light on this story. Its one from which we could learn a lot!

Rating:
Summary: Lessons We Should Have Learned
Review: In 1942, two teams of Nazi saboteurs were dropped on the beaches of Long Island, New York and Jacksonville, Florida. The eight men selected had all spent time in the United States (two were naturalized citizens) and were unlikely to raise suspicion. The teams had trained in the use of explosives and other means of sabotage and were outfitted with adequate supplies of explosives to severely damage the industrial war effort in the United States. Fortunately, for the United States, the saboteurs selected, for the most part, were anxious to return to family and friends and resume life in the United States. George Dasch, leader of the New York team, quickly made his way to Washington and began unveiling the plot to the FBI. All eight quickly were arrested. A military tribunal was formed. The eight were tried and convicted. Without appeal, six were executed and the remaining two sentenced to life in prison. Sorry, didn't mean to ruin the end of the book--but, hey, this is history, you ought to know!

What makes Dobbs' book especially timely is the lessons that we should have learned then that continue to haunt us today. The first lesson is related to cooperation among government agencies, or perhaps the lack of cooperation. The FBI, the Coast Guard, and other agencies competed to see who would solve the case. Information was not shared among the agencies and the competition was fierce to solve the case. We should have learned. The second lesson relates to the military tribunals. While the stated purpose of this tribunal was to protect national security, the hidden purpose was to protect the FBI and other agencies from charges of incompetence in their handling of the case. The saboteurs' legal counsel appealed to the Supreme Court to rule on the legality of the tribunal. In their ruling "ex parte Quirin" (a ruling cited by the Bush administration in favor of their own military tribunals) the court found the tribunal to be legal (they didn't want to weaken the power of the president during a time of war) but later found that ruling hard to defend. A third lesson is related to the selection of saboteurs. Anytime you select someone for a clandestine mission, their familiarity with the subject of sabotage is both a blessing and a curse. The saboteurs knew the United States well and were able to move about without much detection. They also knew the United States well and wanted to live there again.

I first learned of the Nazi saboteurs when I was in junior high school. Their mug shots and the stories of their landing in the United States was a fascinating, little told story of WWII. I appreciate Michael Dobbs book very much for shedding light on this story. Its one from which we could learn a lot!

Rating:
Summary: Finding saboteurs: yesterday and today
Review: Michael Dobbs had written a fast-paced book of intrigue regarding the eight German saboteurs whose ineptness in carrying out "Operation Pastorius" led to their arrests and eventual jail sentences and executions. The comparison between this historical account and today's Al-Qaeda couldn't be more timely.

Dobbs weaves an intricate tale of German plans for the destruction of military and civilian targets in the United States in the spring of 1942. Everything looked good on paper (literally....with the use of invisible ink!) from its inception to the landing of the two U-boats off the coasts of Long Island and Florida. The one weak link happened to be one of the two leaders, George John Dasch, an unstable man who eventually was able to get his cohorts arrested. The author's most impressive offering through much of the book is his ability to get inside the heads of these men....what they were thinking, how and why they acted and especially their interaction with one another. It's a great story to read and is made even more attractive for the simple reality that it all actually took place.

What I found to be the best part of "Saboteurs", however, was the last few chapters. Dobbs covers the miltitary tribunals in pithy detail reserving some of the comedic parts to rivalries between the FBI and other government agencies. What J. Edgar Hoover wouldn't do to enhance his and his bureau's reputation! The culmination, in a sense, led to the defendants' lawyers appearing before the Supreme Court in a last-ditch effort to supercede the war tribunal's very existence as set up by President Roosevelt. One cannot help but compare the situation with that of today....the rivlaries between the CIA and FBI and the friction between the Secretaries of State and Defense. The most fascinating few pages deal with the afterthoughts of some of the Supreme Court justices with regard to the trial and subsequent changes of opinion. One wonders about the parallels of the detainment of these eight men and the hundreds held at Guantanemo today.

It is a fitting addition to "Saboteurs" that Michael Dobbs touches on American opinion about the case at that time and how, after the trial was drawing to a close and Americans found out more and more about the saboteurs, that anti-German sentiment began to build. The feelings of Arab-Americans today must be very much connected with those feelings of German-Americans in 1942. This is a powerful book with timely repercussions.

Rating:
Summary: Finding saboteurs: yesterday and today
Review: Michael Dobbs had written a fast-paced book of intrigue regarding the eight German saboteurs whose ineptness in carrying out "Operation Pastorius" led to their arrests and eventual jail sentences and executions. The comparison between this historical account and today's Al-Qaeda couldn't be more timely.

Dobbs weaves an intricate tale of German plans for the destruction of military and civilian targets in the United States in the spring of 1942. Everything looked good on paper (literally....with the use of invisible ink!) from its inception to the landing of the two U-boats off the coasts of Long Island and Florida. The one weak link happened to be one of the two leaders, George John Dasch, an unstable man who eventually was able to get his cohorts arrested. The author's most impressive offering through much of the book is his ability to get inside the heads of these men....what they were thinking, how and why they acted and especially their interaction with one another. It's a great story to read and is made even more attractive for the simple reality that it all actually took place.

What I found to be the best part of "Saboteurs", however, was the last few chapters. Dobbs covers the miltitary tribunals in pithy detail reserving some of the comedic parts to rivalries between the FBI and other government agencies. What J. Edgar Hoover wouldn't do to enhance his and his bureau's reputation! The culmination, in a sense, led to the defendants' lawyers appearing before the Supreme Court in a last-ditch effort to supercede the war tribunal's very existence as set up by President Roosevelt. One cannot help but compare the situation with that of today....the rivlaries between the CIA and FBI and the friction between the Secretaries of State and Defense. The most fascinating few pages deal with the afterthoughts of some of the Supreme Court justices with regard to the trial and subsequent changes of opinion. One wonders about the parallels of the detainment of these eight men and the hundreds held at Guantanemo today.

It is a fitting addition to "Saboteurs" that Michael Dobbs touches on American opinion about the case at that time and how, after the trial was drawing to a close and Americans found out more and more about the saboteurs, that anti-German sentiment began to build. The feelings of Arab-Americans today must be very much connected with those feelings of German-Americans in 1942. This is a powerful book with timely repercussions.

Rating:
Summary: This Could Have Been a Spy Novel - But It's True
Review: Saboteurs, by Michael Dobbs is a very well written story, about what I consider to be a little known chapter of WWII, namely, the German plan to land two groups of saboteurs on America's shores. Once here, these men were to operate an "extensive campaign against the United States to disrupt the production of tanks and airplanes and blow up bridges and railroads." Luckily for America, the Germas sent probably the most inept group of spies that was ever assembled, dooming this mission from the start. What transpires during the course of the story would be comical if not for the fact that the majority of the saboteurs were executed. Also, luckily for America, we were able to catch these men despite ourselves. This is a very enjoyable read.

Rating:
Summary: Full of adventure and not a little farce!
Review: Shortly after America's entry into World War 2, Adolf Hitler authorized a daring mission - a group of returned German-Americans would be recruited, trained, and sent back to the United States to sabotage the American war effort. And so, a mission began. Ill-trained and unmotivated, the saboteurs landed on the American shore, and encountered an America whose homeland defense network was every bit as incompetent as themselves. This is the story of the great Nazi terrorist mission against the United States.

I had heard about the story of these men before, and was quite pleased to find a book about them. Author Michael Dobbs does an excellent job of telling the story of the saboteurs, their backgrounds, the background of their mission, and what happened. Overall, I found this to be a fascinating read, full of adventure and not a little farce! I highly enjoyed this book and highly recommend it to you.


Rating:
Summary: Fascinating story, superbly told
Review: Spring of 1942 Nazi Germany sends a team of eight saboteurs to the United States for purposes of causing havoc in America and crippling their new enemy's war industries. It is a seldom told tale but Washington Post reporter Michael Dobbs presents a stirring account of this incredible episode in "Saboteurs: The Nazi Raid on America."
One is left to contemplate how easily the Nazi plot might have worked and to marvel at the audacity of the plan which featured the training of former US residents and the transporting of them by U Boat.
Dobbs skillfully introduces not only the saboteurs but also all the other featured characters of this story. Some familiar to the reader such as J. Edgar Hoover and others who are new to us.
This is a story about the best-laid plains and how badly they can turn out in the hands of those with other agendas.
The saboteurs, it turns out were a motley crew, poor choices indeed to pull of us such brazen acts. Arriving in America with thousands of dollars after years in war-deprived Germany, it is the good life, old friends and in some cases, betrayal that is foremost in their minds.
Their bungling is nearly matched by that of the Americans charged with keeping the country secure and pursuing its enemies.
It is no spoiler to say that all the saboteurs are quickly rounded up. But the story does not lag when it comes to their fate after capture and their consequent trial.
The interest never wanes in this compelling book.
This book is also recommended for people interested in wartime America. Both life in the city and the machinations of top US officials, up to and including President Roosevelt.
It's an amazing story and Dobbs deserves full marks for his presentation of it.

Rating:
Summary: Fascinating story, superbly told
Review: Spring of 1942 Nazi Germany sends a team of eight saboteurs to the United States for purposes of causing havoc in America and crippling their new enemy's war industries. It is a seldom told tale but Washington Post reporter Michael Dobbs presents a stirring account of this incredible episode in "Saboteurs: The Nazi Raid on America."
One is left to contemplate how easily the Nazi plot might have worked and to marvel at the audacity of the plan which featured the training of former US residents and the transporting of them by U Boat.
Dobbs skillfully introduces not only the saboteurs but also all the other featured characters of this story. Some familiar to the reader such as J. Edgar Hoover and others who are new to us.
This is a story about the best-laid plains and how badly they can turn out in the hands of those with other agendas.
The saboteurs, it turns out were a motley crew, poor choices indeed to pull of us such brazen acts. Arriving in America with thousands of dollars after years in war-deprived Germany, it is the good life, old friends and in some cases, betrayal that is foremost in their minds.
Their bungling is nearly matched by that of the Americans charged with keeping the country secure and pursuing its enemies.
It is no spoiler to say that all the saboteurs are quickly rounded up. But the story does not lag when it comes to their fate after capture and their consequent trial.
The interest never wanes in this compelling book.
This book is also recommended for people interested in wartime America. Both life in the city and the machinations of top US officials, up to and including President Roosevelt.
It's an amazing story and Dobbs deserves full marks for his presentation of it.

Rating:
Summary: A story with relevance for our times
Review: The 1942 case of Nazi saboteurs in America is the best World War II story you've never heard. More than just an adventure tale, however, the case has been cited by the current administraton as a precedent for military tribunals of suspected terrorists.

Through this account, we learn that the events of 1942 don't present a clear-cut parallel to our own times. Thoughtful readers with an interest in the constitutional issues of today's anti-terrorism campaign are well-advised to read this book. Well-researched, well-documented, and very well-written.