G.I. G-Men

Praise for G.I. G-Men

“Harding examines a lesser-known aspect of the war, and readers will enjoy detours into the lives of FBI agents and the endless turf quarrels between Army intelligence, Navy intelligence, the OSS, and FBI. Good wartime niche history.” —Kirkus Reviews

“Harding’s book is brilliant and timely, a well-written and well-researched testament to the lengths some will go to for money and power, but also to the fact that freedom and democracy are deeply beloved in this country, as long as there are those who will actively support these ideals.” —Booklist

“Stephen Harding’s G.I. G-Men is a beautifully crafted, timely true story of the FBI’s thrilling hunt during World War II for the enemy within, and a salutary reminder that not all Americans believe in democracy—some are always willing to betray their country and the ideals it is based on.” —Alex Kershaw, New York Times bestselling author of The Longest Winter, The Liberator, and Against All Odds

“Stephen Harding presents a fascinating deep dive into FBI, diplomatic, and military archives to describe in minute detail the quest by federal law enforcers to render justice as World War II wound down in Europe. The task was to nab Americans known to have collaborated with the Axis powers—all while traversing the lines between U.S., British, and Soviet occupation zones; it was a goal far easier said than done, as Harding expertly demonstrates, given the frustrating political obstacles so often thrown in FBI agents’ paths.” —Tod Robberson, Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist and author of Globemaster Down: Soviet Espionage and the Doomed American Attempt to Sneak Nukes into Europe

“Stephen Harding, America’s leading commentator on the extraordinary scenes that define the finale of World War II, has done it again. Unearthing the stories of the traitors who ‘for money, power, or even love’ betrayed the United States to Adolf Hitler, Harding rightly hails the indomitable sleuths who tracked them down—the G.I. G-Men—as a hitherto underappreciated squadron of the Greatest Generation.” —Andrew Roberts, Baron Roberts of Belgravia, New York Times bestselling author of Churchill: Walking with Destiny

“A sweeping history of FBI operations to root out, track down, and apprehend American traitors on foreign soil in World War II, G.I. G-Men reveals fresh new insights into the Bureau’s motives, methods, and organizational ethos in a story packed with intrigue, rivalry, and sometimes scandal. A vivid narrative about the search for collaboration and betrayal, expertly researched, and compellingly told.” —Nina Willner, author of The Boys in the Light and former intelligence officer

“Stephen Harding’s G.I. G-Men provides a rich and detailed accounting of the underreported role the FBI played in the hunt for traitors, treason, and collaborationists in World War II Europe. From the well-known (like famed poet Ezra Pound) to the long-forgotten (jockey Joseph Luhan), a cast of intrepid feds tracked down and apprehended a host of wayward ex-pats who aided the cause of fascism in a variety of ways and means. A thorough and interesting telling of a colorful history.” —Tim Brady, author of Three Ordinary Girls: The Remarkable Story of Three Dutch Teenagers Who Became Spies, Saboteurs, Nazi Assassins—and WWII Heroes

“In this gripping and previously untold story, Stephen Harding follows a group of FBI agents as they navigate the chaos of war-torn Europe—dodging artillery fire, Soviet spies, and political interference—on a hunt for Americans who betrayed their country. From the streets of Paris to the heart of Nazi Germany, G.I. G-Men unveils a shadow war filled with intrigue, moral compromise, and the enduring tension between justice and loyalty. A riveting blend of espionage, wartime drama, and true crime, this is the story of how a handful of American agents fought to hold traitors accountable—while the world was still burning.” —Mike Croissant, author of Bombing Hitler’s Hometown: The Untold Story of the Last Mass Bomber Raid of World War II in Europe and retired CIA officer

“Stephen Harding’s page-turning account of the FBI agents who pursued American Nazi and Fascist sympathizers during and after World War II is essential reading for anyone interested in uncovering the still-untold stories of the war. G.I G-Men reminds us that dictatorship carried disturbing appeal for a cross-section of Americans who ended up giving material support to the Axis powers—and raises the question of why some citizens of a democracy would willingly support the forces of tyranny overseas.” —Bradley W. Hart, author of Hitler’s American Friends: The Third Reich’s Supporters in the United States

“Stephen Harding gives us a front-row seat to the FBI’s audacious transformation from crime fighters to global intelligence pioneers in the closing months of World War II. His compelling account unearths how brave agents, battling spies and traitors across Europe, forged the foundation of America’s modern national security.” —James Conway, retired FBI special agent