How the Ghost Army Hoodwinked Hitler

The unbelievable true story of the American soldiers who used inflatable tanks and fake radio broadcasts as weapons in World War II.
Right around D-Day of World War II, a small, unarmed American army unit deployed to Nazi-occupied France. Instead of artillery, this unit fought with stagecraft, artistry, and deception. Their “weapons” included inflatable rubber tanks and giant speakers broadcasting fake military maneuvers. The soldiers called themselves the Ghost Army. Many of them had creative backgrounds in fashion, theater, and music, and they used their talents to trick and confuse the enemy. Often, their mission was to draw enemy fire away from other soldiers and toward themselves.
One of the most stunning parts of this story is just how effective the Ghost Army was. They successfully carried out mission after mission and undeniably helped secure Allied victory. Rebecca Siegel uses original research, declassified records and photos, and a boots on the ground narrative style to tell the incredible experiences of these heroic soldiers.

Rebecca Siegel is the author of well over 200 nonfiction books and essays for audiences ranging from early readers to adults. Her book To Fly Among the Stars was named a 2020 Mighty Girl’s Book of the Year and was a National Science Teaching Association’s Outstanding Science Trade Books for Students. She lives in Chicago with her husband and two daughters. Visit her at https://www.rebeccasiegel.org/