Our Unsung Heroes: Female American Spies in World War II


During World War II, espionage played a major role in the conflict between the Axis and Allied powers. Spies were responsible for gathering intelligence, creating and spreading propaganda, smuggling people to safety, and intervening with coordinated attacks. Some of these spies were women, who began to join the workforce in large numbers and take part in the war effort despite not taking direct combat roles. However, the work of female spies, while recognized by the governments under which they worked for, remains somewhat unknown to the public eye. The efforts and courage of women such as Virginia Hall, Amy Thorpe, Julia Child, and Barbara Lauwers, among more, ought to be shared and honored by the American people.

American flag in WW2

Caption: Joe Rosenthal, Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima, 1939-1945, Defense Visual Information Distribution Service, Feb 21, 2025


"Ashamed? Not in the least. My superiors told me that the results of my work saved thousands of British and American lives.... It involved me in situations from which 'respectable' women draw back... [but] wars are not won by respectable methods." -Amy Elizabeth Thorpe