Just to note that these were NOT part of the official Red Cross parcels…
I was wondering about that. I would imagine that the Red Cross would’ve been pissed to have an intelligence service put humanitarian programs at risk like that. Beyond that, still pretty slick.
This is complicated. I read a book out of the library, so title forgotten, that having
noticed in WWI that escaped prisoners used up resources, there was a deliberate
effort before WWII to cause escapes. Officers were given some lessons in evasion
and escape, and effort was made to get needed items to the POWs.
That scene in The Great Escape where James Garner is in effect blackmailing the
guard, that was deliberate, not something the character thought up. The luxury items
like chocolate and coffee were sent in part to be used as bribes, to get minor things,
and once a guard was hooked, their “helping the enemy” was leveraged for much
bigger things, like that camera. If the guard turned in the prisoners, the guard could
be imprisoned or shot for helping the prisoners.
I thought the book said there was help from the Red Cross. Certainly boxes
themselves were used to hide items, in the actual cardboard. Compasses would
be noticed, but pieces could be hidden in the cardboard and assembled at the camps,
maybe some of those lessons helping them.
The escapees were creative, but they did get help from home.
At least it’s good for something.
I thought BoingBoing hated intelligence agencies
Only when they deserve it.
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