User:Gcarrion70

As World War II began in 1939, Countries were forming alliances and enemies very quickly. Some even switched sides. With Germany, like Japan, trying to gain control over much more than they already had, France, Poland, Great Britain already had an alliance again Germany. Later on Canada, Australia, New Zealand, New Foundland, and South Africa had joined them against Germany. But with the fear of having the United States enter the war, Germany devised a plan to have spies sent into the United States to pose as Americans to gain knowledge about anything that could be used against Germany. They’re objective was to find holes within the American military force and prepare before the United States entered the war by destabilizing the country. It turned out to be the biggest espionage case in United States history that closed with convictions of all participants.

Beginning of World War II
Adolf Hitler wanted to dominate all of Europe. He couldn’t just settle for controlling Nazi Germany. He then Allied with Japan, who wanted to dominate East Asia and especially China and Italy. Hitler took Control of Austria and Czechoslovakia by 1939. Britain and France stated that they would only declare war if Poland was attacked. Germany later signed a Non-Aggression pact with the Soviet Union that caused a divide in Poland and Baltic States. Germany eventually still attacked Poland, so, the United Kingdom and France declared war. Australia, Canada, New Zealand and South Africa later joined alliances with France. The Soviet Union joined after they were attacked by Germany.

In 1939, Japan viciously made attempts to take over China. They too the route of Economic Strangulation and seized coastal ports. The Unites States, Netherlands, and Great Britain didn't like this too much and froze Japans assets by cutting off 90 % of raw materials that they were supplying to the Japanese for war production. Germany feared that the United States would certainly get involved even further and decided to send 33 of their men to spy on the United States.

Double Agent William Sebold
William Sebold was a German who left his country in 1921 and came to the United States. He worked in industrial aircraft plants throughout the United States and South America. He went back to visit Germany in 1939 and was approached and persuaded by German Secret Service to become a spy in America. Although he was against Nazi aggression and the hatred in that country, he decided to take the job. HE trained in Hamburg and as soon as he touch down back in the United States in 19401, he went to the American Consulate in Cologne and wanted to cooperate with the FBI. William Sebold, our famous double agent, told the FBI everything.

The Nazi's told Sebold to take the identity of "Harry Sawyer" and Sebold would then be a Diesel Engineer Consultant and would be able to pass and receive instructions and messages to other spies using shortwave radios. The FBI set up an office where the new Harry would work from. There, the FBI monitored activity for 16 months. Spies even visited Harry and spoke freely about Nazi plans unknowingly that there were hidden microphones and two-way mirrors where the FBI were recording all conversations. All German spies posed as American Employees in key jobs to extract information that they would be able to use to sabotage the U.S. in war, such as an airline employee to report allied ships crossing the Atlantic Ocean.

The Fall of The Duquesne Spy Ring
Over three hundred messages were sent and two hundred were received from Germany. Information about the United States' National Defense and wartime were shared. The ring Leader, Frederick "Fritz" Duquesne was even recorded in Harry's office discussing ways to start fires at industrial plants. He shared photos and plans that he had stolen from a plant in Delaware describing a new bomb that was being made in the Untied States. Another spy in the ring was making a bomb of his own and delivered the dynamite and detonation device to Harry's office. Once enough information was gathered and the attack on Pearl Harbor occurred on December 7th, 1941, the FBI decided to make arrests. On December 13th, 30 men and 3 women including Rig leader Duquesne were arrested in which 19 of them plead guilty and the rest were convicted at trial and sentenced to jail time.