Interservice Rivalry: Examining the Relationships Between the Intelligence Organizations of the Navy, the Army and the OSS in China 1939-1943

Authors

Samuel G. Peterson, University of Arkansas

Keywords

OSS, Army, Navy, China, WWII, interagency

Abstract

Intelligence gathering had a profound impact on WWII. In war-torn China, the US Navy, the Army, and the fledgling OSS contested with each other during the Chinese Nationalists’ fight against the Japanese Empire. The stories of the OSS, the Navy and the Army in China have all, until now, been told from three distinct but interrelated points of view. With each study solely based on a particular organization, bias toward others is inevitable. By synthesizing the sources together and weaving the different interpretations of events simultaneously, a clearer picture of the interdepartmental struggles can be seen. The primary goal of such a study is not to find fault in or blame a singular organization for the failure of a larger historical event, but rather to fill in the gaps left by the existing historiography. The purpose of this article is to provide a holistic perspective based on the existing secondary and primary source material for each of the three competing intelligence organizations in China.

Recommended Citation

Peterson, Samuel G. (2021) "Interservice Rivalry: Examining the Relationships Between the Intelligence Organizations of the Navy, the Army and the OSS in China 1939-1943," The Ozark Historical Review: Vol. 49, Article 5.

Available at: https://scholarworks.uark.edu/ohr/vol49/iss1/5