Overview

This project aims to showcase different ways that archival research can be presented digitally. It presents new ways to understand history by engaging with archiving and narrative storytelling.

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This project specifically features research on the women of both the Special Operations Executive (SOE), Britain’s espionage organization, and the United State's Office of Strategic Services (OSS), the precursor organization to the CIA. The historical implications of women in intelligence roles are not always apparent. There were a number of women who put their lives on the line in espionage roles on the front lines while others managed intelligence networks from an office. Some of their experiences have been documented in books and articles, but most information is still hidden in archival boxes. 

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When students are taught about WWII, much of the focus is centered on the men who fought overseas in the European and Pacific theaters. When the wartime roles of women are taught, education centers on their roles at home and in factories. I wanted to explore women's more active roles in the war, specifically in the secretive intelligence offices. Both the Special Operations Executive and the Office of Strategic Services were closely linked, so it made sense to study both for this project. 

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Though this project is not all-encompassing, this site shows examples of how widespread these espionage organizations were throughout the world and just how active women were involved, both in the office and in the field.