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

Gr 5-8–Inflatable tanks, guns, trucks, and aircraft; super-sized speakers blasting recordings of moving military equipment and other realistic sound effects; fake radio transmissions; and a small group of creative human soldiers. While this sounds like a list put together for a movie or video game, this combination worked during World War II as a real military unit, commonly referred to as “The Ghost Army.” Employing theatrical elements worthy of a Broadway stage, this WWII unit successfully fooled German troops into thinking the Americans had a larger troop presence, as well as misleading them about American positions. Siegel employs a conversational tone to keep the narrative moving, weaving in a large amount of factual information. Choosing three soldiers for emphasis, she invites readers to connect with the men and their history. Focusing on the background of these men with research that includes author interviews, letters, memoirs, and declassified government documents provides the historical events with immediacy. Filling in the time line of the larger war for context demonstrates the role and impact of the Ghost Army missions. Their final assignment, helping displaced persons at the end of the conflict, allows the author to explore some related elements, such as concentration camps and the nuclear bomb.