Exposing the Third Reich: Colonel Truman Smith in Hitler's Germany

American Warriors

by Henry G. Gole, Edward M. Coffman (Foreword)

As World War II recedes from living memory, there remain untold stories of important behind-the-scenes operatives who provided vital support to the leaders celebrated in historical accounts. Colonel Truman Smith is one of the most compelling figures from this period, but there has never been a biography of this important and controversial man. In Exposing the Third Reich, Henry G. Gole tells this soldier's story for the first time.

An American aristocrat from a prominent New England family, Smith was first assigned to Germany in 1919 during the Allied occupation and soon became known as a regional expert. During his second assignment in the country as a military attach� in 1935, he arranged for his good friend Charles Lindbergh to inspect the Luftwaffe. The Germans were delighted to have the famous aviator view their planes, enabling Smith to gather key intelligence about their air capability. His savvy cultivation of relationships rendered him invaluable throughout his service, particularly as an aide to General George C. Marshall; however, the colonel's friendliness with Germany also aroused suspicion that he was a Nazi sympathizer.

Gole demonstrates that, far from condoning Hitler, Smith was among the first to raise the alarm: he predicted many of the Nazis' moves years in advance and feared that the international community would not act quickly enough. Featuring many firsthand observations of the critical changes in Germany between the world wars, this biography presents an indispensable look both at a fascinating figure and at the nuances of the interwar years.

Genres: World War II, History, Biography

564 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2013

Reviews

[Dan Downing · Rating 4 out of 5]

Col. Truman Smith hailed from the American Aristocracy, a segment of society which today would be called 'the elites'. True to the concept, his service in the Infantry from World War I through World War II conformed to the highest ideas of performance and duty. Beyond that, due to his fortunate marriage and general air of breeding, he was able to become intimate with the top military figures in Germany as it moved from a beaten, forlorn country following the First War, to a barely contained rabid tiger just before the Second War. Col. Smith was our Germany expert; his dispatches gave our military a clear and penetrating picture of how the German military and its officers would act and react.
In addition to his reports on the Army, Col. Smith recognized that intelligence on German air power was critically lacking. To surmount this lack, he arranged to have Charles Lindbergh visit. The Germans gave Lindy the full super star treatment, and his knowledge of planes and aeronautical design enabled him to acquire an accurate and disturbing picture of German achievement. Later repercussions from his service to his country led to a deal of unpleasantness form both him and Col. Smith, but history has rectified the mud slinging of a typically irresponsible press. The story of Col. Smith, his achievements, his diabetes (which no doubt kept him from earning several stars with the title "General") and of his wife and friends fascinates and informs.
Henry G. Gole brings an impressive military background to this effort.
Recommended.