World War II Spy Files

On August 14, 2008, the National Archives opened the official files of more than 24,000 men and women who worked for the United States OSS, The Office of Strategic Services, during World War II.¹ The OSS, the precursor of the CIA, presided over an international spy network that contributed to the war effort.¹

Julia Child, a known chef and a public figure, was discovered to be a member of the organization. During her service, she was stationed in France, China and Sri Lanka.

Fast Facts

1. The press will be granted one guided tour to review the records
2. Other notable members: John Hemingway, Ernest Heminway's son, and Quentin Roosevelt, the son of Theodore Roosevelt¹
3. For years the CIA refused to open the files¹
4. The files include 750,000 pages of text¹

The Office of Strategic Services

The office was a temporary agency created during the Second World War to spy for the Allied Powers. The OSS provided training and supplies for resistances that sprung in the territories conquered by the Axis Powers. Established on June 13, 1942, it was merged with the CIA only three years later.²

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