The Ghost Army

A fascinating article about the military deception using rubber tanks, mocked up artillery pieces and sound effects broadcast by the US Signals Division using state of the art amplifiers which gave the impression of large troop movements to mislead the Germans in the later stages of WW2. To wit:

All the men were told that they had to consider themselves part of a travelling roadshow ready to perform at a moment’s notice. One week they might pretend to be the 75th Infantry Division, the next the 9th Armored Division. ‘We must remember that we are playing to a very critical and attentive radio, ground, and aerial audience,’ Ghost Army commander Colonel Harry Reeder explained to his officers. ‘They must all be convinced.’

READ ON: Weapons Of Mass Deception (Works That Work)

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13 thoughts on “The Ghost Army”

Spaghetti Hoop November 27, 2015 at 9:43 am

Preceded by Operation Bodyguard, the British Army’s ingenious plan in Kent to suggest a Pas de Calais invasion. This and subsequent hoaxes like in the article may have swung the war for the Allies.

This great quote certainly didn’t apply to he German army; “fool me once, shame on – shame on you. Fool me – you can’t get fooled again.”

Bobby November 27, 2015 at 9:49 am

The Germans apparently tried the same by building a wooden airfield. So the British dropped a wooden bomb on them.

pedeyw November 27, 2015 at 10:06 am

There’s a really good doc on Netflix about those guys.

rory November 27, 2015 at 11:19 am

I’d be interested in that. What’s it called?
1. Dee Cunniffe November 27, 2015 at 11:34 am
  
  The Ghost Army

ahyeah November 27, 2015 at 10:09 am

Pretty much standard practice, even today. Pretty convincing evidence that ISIS are it in Syria. For certain, Iraq had more decoys than actual military hardware during the first Gulf War.

http://www.nytimes.com/1991/01/27/world/war-in-the-gulf-decoys-a-firm-s-fake-weapons-have-real-use-deception.html