Talk:William J. Donovan

Untitled
Many fiction references to Donavon were removed. Was this necessary? — Preceding unsigned comment added by Mfbabcock (talk • contribs) 19:36, 11 February 2012 (UTC)

Mistake
In the articel I read:

"After the war ended, Donovan reverted to his lifelong role as a lawyer to perform one last duty: he served as special assistant to chief prosecutor Telford Taylor at several trials following the main Nuremberg War Crimes Tribunal in Germany"

But on http://www.news.cornell.edu/chronicle/98/10.29.98/nuremberg.html I read this:

"The legendary Donovan, who President Eisenhower called "the last hero" when he died in 1959, founded and directed America's first intelligence agency, the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) during World War II. In Nuremberg, he served as special assistant to the U.S. Chief Prosecutor, Supreme Court Justice Robert H. Jackson. The OSS was designated as the U.S. investigatory unit for the International Military Tribunal (IMT)."

Who is right, who is wrong? I think Cornell has the correct informations, not Wikipedia. They have the papers (the diary of Donovan). And all the historians say that Donovan was the assistent of Jackson at the IMT, not of Taylor at the NMTs. --13Peewit (talk) 22:40, 27 February 2012 (UTC)


 * According to the excellent biography by Anthony Cave Brown, he was stated to be assistant to Jackson, and I have amended the article to say that. I think there is also some confusion as to whether this was the 'main' Nuremberg Tribunal or a secondary one. I think the article is also mistaken on that point; I am looking into it and will clarify it when I have found out. DaveApter (talk) 14:36, 12 October 2014 (UTC)


 * He went to Europe in May 1945, so that would have been the International Military Tribunal, aka Nuremberg Trials. I have amended the statement accordingly. DaveApter (talk) 14:24, 27 October 2014 (UTC)

China?
There needs to be a paragraph on Donovan's activities in China in 1942-43, where he set up OSS operations and had several shouting matches with Dai Li (Chiang's "head of security"), among others. His activities there had an effect on post-war U.S.-Chinese relations, as well as U.S. distrust of Chiang's government. -- Michael K Smith Talk 19:24, 15 May 2013 (UTC)
 * Yes, I would agree that this is important, especially in view of the subsequent developments in US/China relations - I will look through the sources and see what I can find. DaveApter (talk) 13:11, 22 February 2015 (UTC)

External links modified
Hello fellow Wikipedians,

I have just added archive links to 1 one external link on William J. Donovan. Please take a moment to review my edit. If necessary, add after the link to keep me from modifying it. Alternatively, you can add to keep me off the page altogether. I made the following changes:
 * Added archive http://web.archive.org/web/20120709015550/http://www.lawschool.cornell.edu:80/library/WhatWeHave/SpecialCollections/Donovan/ to http://www.lawschool.cornell.edu/library/whatwehave/specialcollections/donovan/

When you have finished reviewing my changes, please set the checked parameter below to true to let others know.

Cheers.—cyberbot II  Talk to my owner :Online 22:16, 26 February 2016 (UTC)

Donovan Award
Anyone know what this is? (and could you please add it). It's some sort of OSS / OSS Society commemorative. Andy Dingley (talk) 21:44, 3 February 2017 (UTC)
 * Don't know anything about it but here's the link: http://www.osssociety.org/award.html. Feel free to add the content if you like. Ckruschke (talk) 20:10, 6 February 2017 (UTC)Ckruschke

"Wild Bill"
The "early life" section says that he earned the nickname on the (American) football field, while the WWI section says he earned it there. I don't know which is correct or if it is even knowable, but it seems like the article should at least agree with itself.96.241.219.200 (talk) 06:43, 22 June 2018 (UTC)

I want to second the need for this correction. 160.111.254.17 (talk) 19:40, 5 July 2018 (UTC)


 * The references I check seem split on when and where the nickname was first used. I'll check some online newspaper archives this weekend and see if I can pinpoint the earliest use.  If I can figure it out, I'll make a correction to the article.


 * Billmckern (talk) 10:46, 6 July 2018 (UTC)


 * Every Newspaper reference I found to "Wild Bill" between 1900 and 1917 refers to Bill Donovan the baseball player and manager. The earliest references I found to its use in connection with William J. Donovan was 1918.


 * It appears to me that the nickname was in use for the baseball player, and was later transferred onto the World War I military leader.


 * I'll update the article accordingly.


 * Billmckern (talk) 18:47, 6 July 2018 (UTC)

ERROR about OSS members
in the article, Alfred Dupont is listed as a member of the OSS organization. However, the Wikipedia article on Alfred Dupont indicates that he died in 1935, several years before the forming of the OSS FireWarrior12 (talk) 07:52, 14 November 2018 (UTC)

Wm J Donovan re William James D. re James B D.?
Just watched DVD, The Catcher Was A Spy plus I perused a plot/synopsis for Bridge Of Spies.. In the latter, James B Donovan is not same person as this article mention in 6. Personal Life, nearly last sentence, of William James Donovan correct? Bears mentioning in article body that James B Donovan in Bridge is no relation to William J Donovan of The Catcher..? --Peter aka Vid2vid (talk) 08:23, 21 November 2019 (UTC)

Edit "rm El" should be reversed
Hey @ .. why did you do three (3) simple edits ie. Flatten United States links to just plain text U.S. twice, and also remove the Find A Grave link for this war hero?? Note: Link to your edit is here .. what the heck? -Peter aka Vid2vid (talk) 02:34, 28 November 2019 (UTC).
 * Hi Vid2vid, (a) having two or more links together is potentially confusing to readers because it makes it appear to be a single link - see MOS:SEAOFBLUE; (b) US should not be linked per WP:OLINK; (c) the grave is already pictured in the article. Nikkimaria (talk) 02:37, 28 November 2019 (UTC)
 * Makes a ton of sense. Thank you thank you and happy Thanksgiving esp if you're American.. :) -Peter aka Vid2vid (talk) 03:29, 28 November 2019 (UTC).

Highest Decorations?
Changed that only man to win the "4 highest decorations" nonsense to what the actual quote is at the reference. Yes, the Medal of Honor and DSC are without a doubt the two highest awards for valor in the United States military. The Distinguished Service Medal is more of an "attaboy" for General Officers. Since 1918, practically every General Officer has received at least one with Wikipedia stating that General Martin Dempsey holds the record at receiving six of them. The National Security Medal, however, is in NO WAY one of the "Highest Decorations", much less in some mythical top four. In order of precedence on a military uniform it's placed below every personal or individual award and above unit awards and campaign medals. The top four military awards are Medal of Honor, Distinguished Service Cross, Silver Star and Bronze Star with V device (for Valor). The DSM is officially listed as the 4th highest even though it's usually awarded for not embarrassing yourself in a Pentagon assignment. For example, Patton won his first DSM in 1919 mainly by running a school for tankers:

"For exceptionally meritorious and distinguished services to the Government of the United States, in a duty of great responsibility during World War I. By his energy and sound judgment, Colonel Patton rendered very valuable services in his organization and direction of the Tank Center at the Army schools at Langres, France. In the employment of Tank Corps troops in combat he displayed high military attainments, zeal, and marked adaptability in a form of warfare comparatively new to the American Army."

Contrary to what most civilians think, there isn't some office in the basement of the Pentagon that sits around all day figuring who is the most decorated person alive/ Or dead? Or who has what combination of medals and what hands a full house beats? No one outside of public relations cares. John Simpson54 (talk) 14:49, 2 January 2023 (UTC)