WWII was a war unlike any the world had seen before, and not just in the monstrous brutality so viciously enacted in the course of those few years. There was also the fact that, for the first time in history, this was a war focused upon covert operations and guerrilla warfare.
In other words. . . this was a war of spies. Continue reading
Postcard of Mata Hari in Paris
Seduction. Deception. Beauty. Destruction.
Thus continues the tale of the stunning, but tragic, figure remembered as Mata Hari. When last we left her, Mata was at the peak of her career as one of the most famous courtesans the world has ever seen. Her risqué dancing and exotic appearance were only part of her appeal. As with the stars of today, scandal only made her more popular; such as her role in a love triangle that resulted in one of her lovers killing another lover (1). Yes, Mata had a string of men falling at her feet; her affairs would stretch across France, Holland, Russia, and Germany. She gave them her attention and body; in return, she received jewels, clothes, expensive housing, and other such elaborate gifts (2,1). It seemed a blessed life to Mata, whose love of presents and shopping was matched solely by her need for attention.
“She was free in her wildness. She was a wanderess, a drop of free water. She belonged to no man and to no city” ~ Roman Payne
Language Translation
Deceptively Blonde 