How the Ghost Army Hoodwinked Hitler: The Story of American Artistry and Deception in World War II

by Rebecca Siegel

The unbelievable true story of the American soldiers who used inflatable tanks and fake radio broadcasts as weapons in World War II.

Right around D-Day of World War II, a small, unarmed American army unit deployed to Nazi-occupied France. Instead of artillery, this unit fought with stagecraft, artistry, and deception. Their “weapons” included inflatable rubber tanks and giant speakers broadcasting fake military maneuvers. The soldiers called themselves the Ghost Army. Many of them had creative backgrounds in fashion, theater, and music, and they used their talents to trick and confuse the enemy. Often, their mission was to draw enemy fire away from other soldiers and toward themselves.

One of the most stunning parts of this story is just how effective the Ghost Army was. They successfully carried out mission after mission and undeniably helped secure Allied victory. Rebecca Siegel uses original research, declassified records and photos, and a boots on the ground narrative style to tell the incredible experiences of these heroic soldiers.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Middle Grade, World War II, Military Fiction, Audiobook, Historical

176 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 4, 2025

Reviews

[Troy Sennett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Need a bonus episode of Band of Brothers about this.

[Brittany R · Rating 3 out of 5]

My interest in reading this was piqued after seeing a video about it from the author on TikTok. Fascinating history, but I wish it had a bit more of a narrative format.

[Darlene · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a detailed account of the US secret army that used deception and artistry to fool the German army during WWII. This fascinating true story has finally come to light thanks to Siegel’s extensive research with soldiers and their families as well as the release of classified documents of the period. Great for history buffs and those who enjoy a tale of trickery and intrigue. The success of the army required the use of visual arts, theater techniques as well as military procedure and careful planning. A unique addition to the WWII genre for ages 10+.

[YSBR · Rating 4 out of 5]

Siegel has written a comprehensive, compelling nonfiction book about a secret mission of the U.S. Army during WWII: the Ghost Army. The Ghost Army was a secret division of the army dedicated to deceiving the German military and protecting American soldiers. This highly detailed text explains how the Ghost Army was founded using artists, advertisers, writers, designers, and even men with film and theater backgrounds. Many of these individuals had been very reluctant soldiers, but were interested in the idea of using their artistic talents for the classified Ghost Army. Using audio and visual deception, the soldiers assisted the Allied forces in defeating the Germans. Specifically, the unit created inflatable decoy tanks to fool the German air force, created “bogus chatter” on radio air waves, and created “sonic deceptions” – recordings of army troops played in key locations to draw attention away from the true locations of Allied forces and give them an advantage. After some early failures, the group learned to apply these special effects and became more successful over time. As Siegel writes, “They needed to throw themselves into impersonations as though they were performers in a Broadway show.” 

Readers will be interested to learn about the clandestine nature of the Ghost Army and the very real dangers the soldiers faced in the field, as well as what happened after the war when a MA newspaper (the Worcester Daily Telegram!) published information about the Ghost Army a despite government regulations (the War Department anticipated possibly using the same type of deception in a future conflict). Siegel also notes that while the Ghost Army was a diverse group of people in terms of former occupations and backgrounds, the entire unit was white and had no people of color. 

Includes very extensive back matter (long note from the author, source notes, bibliography, photo credits, and index) that reveals the difficulty the author experienced in researching this topic and her dedication to telling this story. She conducted original research including interviews with military experts, family members of veterans and a Ghost Army veteran. Very impressive! Link to complete review: https://ysbookreviews.wordpress.com/2...

[Jamie Steinberg · Rating 4 out of 5]

In times of war there are so many unsung heroes that go unnoticed. How the Ghost Army Hoodwinked Hitler actually highlights standout soldiers from World War II that were intended to be kept out of the limelight. The members of “The Ghost Army” used special effects and various artistic talents to outwit the Nazis and create distractions that would help save so many lives and we are forever grateful to them. 

World War II was supposedly winding down in 1944; however, it turned out there was still plenty of battle still to fight. The United States Army came up with an interesting and unique idea that would help - The Ghost Army. They began recruiting soldiers from various platoons that had creative backgrounds in fashion, theater, music and art that would craft elaborately staged situations with the intentions of confusing the enemy. Inflatable rubber tanks and giant speakers were made, fake rank patches added to uniforms, vehicles were altered and other innovative tactics were part of missions in order to fake military maneuvers and draw fire away from other soldiers. Bernie Bluestein, Bill Blass, Arthur Singer and so many others like them joined The Ghost Army and served throughout France, Belgium, Germany and various other locales in hushed assignments that would help contribute to Allied success. Their missions were so secret though that even their family and friends and even fellow soldiers were not privy to what was happening. 

Author Rebecca Siegel does an incredible job of weaving the story behind this deceptive unit. The book even includes astonishing declassified black and white photos and personal interviews with Ghost Army veterans and their families. As someone who is fascinated by World War II stories, How the Ghost Army Hoodwinked Hitler captivates and keeps you turning page after page to learn more about the great lengths the US military and soldiers went to in order to protect their own. 

How the Ghost Army Hoodwinked Hitler explores the true tale of hidden figures that put their lives on the line during World War II to distract and thwart the Nazis. We are grateful to these brave men for risking it all to craft the much needed subterfuge that helped to save so many.

[Roben · Rating 4 out of 5]

f you did not know, let me be the first to tell you that just before D-Day, the US military decided to create a Ghost Army. They were trained to excel in the art of deception - fooling the Germans in order to advance the mission of the Allies.

What they accomplished was, eventually, nothing short of amazing. It just took a few unsuccessful missions for them to hone their art of theater and go on to staggering successes that saved countless lives and - most importantly - helped bring the war in Europe to an end.

As the author says, remember that heroes come in all forms and from all walks of life. Just look at what is happening in Minnesota today. So many heroes.

The book is meticulously researched and includes a lengthy bibliography and an Index. I learned many things I did not know before reading this book.

[Jean · Rating 5 out of 5]

I ran into a mention of the Ghost Army in another book. That interested me enough to find another book, focused entirely on the unit. I chose this title because I believed it would be interesting and that the author wouldn't assume I knew World War II inside and out. I was correct on both counts,

My favorite description of the unit came from a member's explanation, "I blew up tanks and guns." Never mind that what he really meant was blowing up inflatable rubber decoys! That deception proved invaluable to protecting Allied assets.

There were interesting photos of documents, people, and places. Those didn't overwhelm the text, but enhanced it. I found the book well written and definitely readable by anyone interested in the subject.

Highly recommended.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

The US Ghost Army’s sole mission was to deceive Hitler and his troops into thinking they were a much bigger group and a much bigger threat to Germany. Recruits to the Ghost Army were fashion designers, artists, and theater professionals. They used inflatable tanks, fake insignia, and recordings of troop movement for their deceptions and had much success. Includes photographs, drawings, and an extensive bibliography. The author includes first-hand accounts from Ghost Army veteran (and artist) Bernie Bluestein.

[Colleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Before this book, I have read some books that included information on the Ghost Army, but this is the first full length version. Based on the stories/events in this book as well as people, I think there could be a great movie featuring the Ghost Army. It could follow one person or it can follow multiple people, think Monuments Men. The Ghost Army has a lot of potential, especially since most of the guys were artists or people in the art field. There is a lot of potential here, similar to The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

World War II had several surprises, and one was the subterfuge that the Army undertook to mislead the German troops. Recordings, blow-up tanks, and so much more - the German army was going to be surprised when they attack they were planning for never materialized. By masking the numbers, inflating their presence, and keeping the German troops guessing, the Army was able to maneuver brilliantly.

A great read! Perfect for those that enjoy World War II stories, and want to hear some fun history. I highly recommend this book.

[#moluminary · Rating 2 out of 5]

Extremely basic and a superficial coverage of a very interesting aspect of the war. A few names get mentioned often and incidents are used more as emotional props than how they should be perceived, important points in history.

Worst, while all guilty Germans bear the responsibility of the atrocities committed by and in their name, this book paints a picture of vilifying all Germans. A deeper discrimination levelled against a whole group of people without any reservations.

There are better books on this topic and this can be skipped.

[Ms. Yingling · Rating 3 out of 5]

Public Library Copy

This covers the same basic ground as Janeczko's fantastic Secret Soldiers: How the U.S. Twenty-Third Special Troops Fooled the Nazis but in a shorter, more accessible way with more illustrations. I will buy a copy for my WWII obsessed readers, even though I'm sad this didn't mention the involvement of Douglas Fairbanks, Jr..

https://msyinglingreads.blogspot.com/...

[Allison Haehnel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a master class in text features such as the index, bibliography, images, captions, glossary, and many more. The author included images of primary source documents and images throughout the book to supplement the text. My Boomer parents remember hearing about the “dummies” and started sharing their recollections of the brave acts of heroism performed by these creative soldiers. This is ideal for inquisitive middle and junior high students.

[Jenn S · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent story for middle grade interested in WWII. I read this with my 9 year old and we both enjoyed learning about the men who were a part of this awesome army unit. Difficult subject matter was handled with honesty and kept age appropriate. The timelines and operations were easy to follow.

[Amanda · Rating 2 out of 5]

While the subject matter of this book was interesting, I found the pace to be incredibly slow and I can't begin to imagine it would hold the interest of someone within its target age range. I slogged through it because it was a fairly short read, but I didn't find it to be nearly as memorable as it should have been considering how interesting the topic at hand was.

[Mary Louise Sanchez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well researched book about a specialized army unit in WWII who used artistry as their weapon.

[Kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

[Catherine]

This had some significant spelling errors in the ebook that I had trouble getting over (I emailed the publisher).

[Nikki · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a pretty quick read and I really loved learning about these soldiers. I was surprised to recognize several of the names of men who served in this group. Fascinating!

[Sheila Fraunfelter · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is a lot of technical detail, but it is very interesting. I had no idea this even existed. Super clever.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent overview of the 23rd Headquarters Special Troops, or Ghost army unit in World War 2. I learned a lot!

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

So interesting! I never knew there was a secret Army decoy unit that's purpose was to confuse and mislead German forces. And Rebecca Siegel is quite a storyteller.