How Postage Stamps Postage Played a Key Role in Covert OSS WWII Missions in ‘Operation Cornflakes’

Graham Beck of the philately series “Exploring Stamps” takes a hard look at a rather ingenious plan enacted by the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) during World War II that infiltrated the German postal service to further weaken the waning faith that the German people had under Nazi rule.

This plan, entitled “Operation Cornflakes” involved the sending of the anti-Nazi publication “Das Neue Deutschland” to German addresses using fake stamps that featured reproductions of Hitler’s head. As the mail was being carried by train, an overhead plane would create a rail disruption that scattered the onboard mail bags while dropping bags of the properly addressed, propaganda. These airdropped bags would be collected with the other bags during the cleanup, be put onto the train, and delivered to citizens around Germany. 20 of these operations successfully took place between February and April of 1945.

Stamps played a key role in WW2 Missions in 1945. Operation Cornflakes was set in motion by the OSS as they sought new ways to distribute black propaganda. Learn more about a Hitler stamp that I pull from the box and witness a mission take place as we explore Operation Cornflakes.

via Weird Universe