Newly released files show Julia Child was a spy

[kpete]

WASHINGTON—Before Julia Child became known to the world as a leading chef, she admitted at least one failing when applying for a job as a spy: impulsiveness. Details about Child's background as a government agent come into the public spotlight Thursday with the National Archives' release of more than 35,000 top-secret personnel files of World War II-era spies. The CIA held this information for decades.

The 750,000 documents identify the vast spy network managed by the Office of Strategic Services, which later became the CIA. President Franklin Roosevelt created the OSS, the country's first centralized intelligence operation.

Child's file shows that in her OSS application, she included a note expressing regret she left an earlier department store job hastily because she did not get along with her boss, said William Cunliffe, an archivist who has worked extensively with the OSS records at the National Archives.

The OSS files offer details about other agents, including Supreme Court Justice Arthur Goldberg, major league catcher Moe Berg, historian Arthur Schlesinger Jr. and film actor Sterling Hayden.

more at:
http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2008/08/14/newly_released_files_detail_early_us_spy_network/?rss_id=Boston.com+--+Latest+news

[zanne]

1. Why is that so funny?

:rofl:

[Ilsa]

2. I thought you were going to cite The Onion. Wow. nt

[peekaloo]

3. Jack D. Ripper was a spy?

somehow that makes me smile. :-)

[slackmaster]

23. Yes, I got a chuckle out of that one too

:D

[Blue_Tires]

24. maybe he was onto something about that plot with the water supply

[YOY]

4. The secret pasword is "Caloo, Caloo, Caloo...Sherry"

n/t

[meegbear]

5. Holy Coq Au Vin Batman!

:wow:

[helderheid]

6. And Miles Copeland, father of Stewart Copeland!

:woohoo:

[Captain Hilts]

7. This is OLD NEWS!

Everybody knows about Julia being an OSS paper pusher. She was too tall for operations.

[SoCalDem]

19. Yep.. PBS even did a special on her years ago

and told about her days with the underground.. She was quite a lady :)

[Captain Hilts]

22. Yes, one of the coolest we produced the last century...nt

[onenote]

8. Child's job with OSS is actually old news

There's an exhibit at the International Spy Museum in DC that has info about various well known folks who were in the OSS, including those mentioned in the article. I guess what makes the story news is that more information about their work is being released.

[madaboutharry]

9. She wrote about this in her biography

She discusses this in her wonderful biography "My Life in France."
This is old news.

[LostinVA]

11. I know, and it was in "Appetite for LIfe" -- strange it's all over the news now

[elocs]

12. There is no such thing as "old news" here at DU.

I'm only surprised it was not in LBN. Here at DU, to be officially considered "news" it must be posted at least 6 times on the first day it was actually news and for at least 3 days following.

[LostinVA]

15. It was in LBN yesterday and also in the Lounge, and I think in here, too

[elocs]

20. What I meant was that I was surprised that 'this' thread was not in LBN.

What I love is when there is news in the morning and someone rides through DU that night trumpeting, "The British are coming! The British are coming!", like nobody knew before.

[Captain Hilts]

14. The biography of her, by a woman whose name escapes me, is a great read also.

And Julia was, of course, a rock 'em, sock 'em bare knuckle Democrat her whole life.

I have NO IDEA why there are not avatars of her or Katharine Hepburn who were both active Democrats. What the hell, Myrna Loy too.

[LostinVA]

16. "Appetite for Life" -- I own it, great book!

[Book Lover]

17. And it's also mentioned in "The Daring Book for Girls"

Old news indeed.

[DonP]

10. She had written about it in one of her books

About 10 or so years ago I watched being interviewed and she mentioned that she had worked for the OSS in WWII and had written a short summary in her biography. But she was very vague and played down her role, said she did "nothing special" which made me think at the time that there was probably a lot more to her service then she was admitting.

But I guess it makes sense, she spoke flawless French, had been in-country for some time when WW II broke out and had a standing back story. In hindsight she would have been a good candidate for a go between for the allies and the resistance.

[DemoTex]

13. Guns or buttah?

Definitely buttah!

[lame54]

18. Sterling Hayden - P.O.E.

Purity Of Essence

[BurtWorm]

21. I wondered how she got all those French cooking secrets.

:think: