Although not widely discussed, experts have long believed that women make better spies than men. Why? According to Shane Harris’s article, intelligence officers say their female colleagues’ intuition and patience make them particularly well-suited for the job. He says that there is something about the way women solve problems, how they listen, observe, and even nurture other people that often yields better results.
As we celebrate Women’s History Month, I wanted to shed light on some of these amazing women who have worked behind-the-scenes:
Revolutionary War
Agent 355
Part of the Culper Spy Ring, Agent 355—the group’s code number for the word ‘woman’—took part in several counterintelligence missions, including spy operations that resulted in the arrest of Major John Andrew, the head of England’s intelligence operations in New York, and the discovery of Benedict Arnold’s treason. Historians suggest that Agent 355 was likely a shopkeeper who learned information about the Red Coats from chatty British customers, relaying that information to George Washington.
Civil War
Harriet Tubman
Best known for her work in freeing slaves, Harriet Tubman also served as a spy for the Union during the Civil War. Her years of guiding people away from slavery, arranging secret meetings, and scouting routes served her well in her role as a spy. In June 1863, Union boats carrying black troops journeyed into Confederate territory unharmed because of Tubman’s information. Tubman oversaw the entire expedition, making her the first and only woman to organize and lead a military operation during the Civil War.
World War I
Edith Cavell
A nurse from England working in Belgium during the war, Edith Cavell secretly worked helping British, French, and Belgian soldiers escape from behind the German lines and rejoin their units. She housed as many as 35 refugees in the nursing school where she was an administrator and eventually turned it into a Red Cross hospital. By 1915 she had helped hundreds of British, French, and Belgian soldiers but was eventually arrested and executed by the Germans. There is a statue of her in Great Britain with these words: “Humanity, Fortitude, Devotion, Sacrifice.”
World War II
Virginia Hall
Originally from Baltimore, Virginia Hall went to work for the French as an agent. She was so successful that the Nazis began an all-out hunt for her. She narrowly escaped capture in 1941. Although she spent the next couple of years living in Spain training as a radio operator, she eventually returned to France and resumed her espionage duties. Virginia collected and sent invaluable intelligence and coordinated airdrops in support of D-Day. She also trained and led maquis resistance groups in guerilla warfare and sabotage. She is the only American civilian woman to have been awarded America’s Distinguished Service Cross.
Post-WW II
Eloise Page
As the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) first employee, Eloise Page gained a passion for intelligence work, including an assignment in 1945 to Brussels, where she helped open the first post-war U.S. intelligence station. She was a well-known expert on terrorism and was nicknamed “Iron Butterfly” by her colleagues for being a petite, sweet southern lady who was a fierce fighter in the workplace. She eventually became the CIA’s first female station chief. She was the first woman to serve as the Deputy Director of the Intelligence Community staff and Chairman of the Critical Collection Problems Committee.
Ironically, while the women’s movement gained strength in the 1960s, women began to take a backseat in the CIA. In 1992, the CIA created a “Glass Ceiling Study,” which found that although women constituted nearly 40 percent of the professional workforce, they only held 10 percent of the SIS (Senior Intelligence Service) positions. Since that time, women have increasingly taken on more leadership roles within the agency, including Gina Haspel being named the first female CIA Director in 2018. During her confirmation hearing, Richard Burr stated, “You are without a doubt the most qualified person.”
Please take a moment and Thank ALL of the women who have helped shape security.
Security First & Associates
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