On October 18th, 1942, Hitler issued an order to all German forces, known as the Commando Order, stating that all Allied commandos encountered in battle should be killed, “annihilated,” immediately, without being taken prisoner. The order, which was issued in secret, made it clear that failure to carry out this edict would be considered an act of negligence, and punishable under German military law.

Such was the reality of all OSS and SOE agents, that, if caught, surely meant an interrogation, which the agent knew would involve torture at the hands of ruthless people. Agents were issued a “Q” pill which was a glass vial, filled with cyanide … enough for a “quick” death.

Some key points of the SI Field Training Manual are shown:

OSS SECRET INTELLIGENCE (SI) TRAINING MANUAL

Secret Intelligence (SI) Training Manual, OSS

Introduction from William J. Donovan

Definitions: operative, agent, sub-agent, informant

The “Salonica cell,” comprised of OSS and Greek Naval Intelligence members Doundoulakis and Yiapitzoglou as the “operative” and “agent”

The main objective of SI: collection and evaluation of information

Doundoulakis’ mission—entrance and egress, behind enemy lines was secretly by boat... to Greece

How information was graded

Qualifications for recruitment into OSS’ SI branch

Training basics

Training objectives and agent’s requirements

Secrecy of the mission

Pre-determined danger signals

Legitimate “cover,” as a businessman, was the tactic employed by Doundoulakis

The ability to mingle socially without rousing suspicion once backfired for Doundoulakis while eating at a restaurant and confronted by angry Salonicans

The ability to handle large amounts of cash without rousing suspicion, i.e., a storefront business, and the secret horde of English sovereigns given to him by the OSS

The freedom of leisure—enabling the agent to operate without worry, such as swimming at the Alexander the Great pool—was almost his undoing, where Doundoulakis was almost caught by two German officers

The pretense of owing a business—the abandoned Jewish textile factory—was the perfect “front”

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