Bonner Fellers
Encyclopedia
Bonner Frank Fellers was a U.S. Army
officer who served during World War II
as military attaché
and psychological warfare
director. He was a considered a protégé of General Douglas MacArthur
.
Fellers was Military Attaché to the U.S. Embassy in Egypt
. He was assigned to monitor and report on British
military operations in North Africa
and the Middle East
. As the representative of a very important friendly power, he was given full access to British activities and information. Fellers reported everything he learned to the U.S. His reports were especially prized by Army commander in chief General George Marshall
.
Fellers' messages were sent by radio, encrypted in the "Black Code" of the U.S. State Department
. The details of this code were stolen from the U.S. Embassy in Italy
by Italian spies in September 1941; it was also broken by German
cryptanalysts, who read "Black Code" messages.
Fellers' radiograms were intercepted and decrypted by the Germans. They were a treasure trove of valuable information to the Axis
. The information was not only extensive and timely, it was also guaranteed authentic: the British would not be lying to their American friends.
Information from Fellers' messages alerted the Axis
to British convoy operations in the Mediterranean Sea
, including efforts to resupply the garrison of Malta
. Information about the numbers and condition of British forces was provided to General Rommel
, the famed German commander in Africa. He could thus plan his operations with reliable knowledge of what the opposing forces were. Rommel was so pleased with the intercepts that he referred to Fellers as "my bonnie fellow".
Fellers was later condemned for this information leak. But he had been ordered to use the State Department code over his objections, and had been ordered by Marshall to report in great detail. Criticism of Fellers for this problem generally came from those who distrusted him because of his close association both before and during the war with MacArthur. Marshall never found any fault with Fellers or with his actions in Egypt.
General Eisenhower
is recorded in the diary of English
Hermione, Countess of Ranfurly
, as saying to her, when she expressed admiration for Fellers, "Any friend of Bonner Fellers is no friend of mine!" She was insulted and he apologised the next day, offering her lunch. But she refused. Eisenhower had disliked Fellers since the time the two were serving under MacAruthur in the Philippines.1936-1937 was the period in which the professional relations between MacArthur and Eisenhower became very strained and MacArthur began to use Fellers as his confidant.
In July 1942, Fellers was transferred from Egypt. His successor as Attaché used the U.S. military cipher, which the Germans could not read. Upon returning to the U.S. Fellers was decorated with the Distinguished Service Medal
for his excellent analysis and reporting of the North African situation. He was also promoted to Brigadier General, the first in the West Point Class of 1918. Although wishing to return to the Middle East as a member of the OSS, when he found out that that was impossible Fellers, in the summer of 1943, left his job in the Office of Strategic Services(OSS), where he played a central role in planning psychological warfare, and once again began working for General MacArthur in the Southwest Pacific. Fellers later served as military secretary and the Chief of Psychological Operations under MacArthur. While assigned to the OSS in Washington, he was, recalled a colleague, 'the most violent Anglophobe I have encountered.'
. He met with the major defendants of the Tokyo tribunal. According to historians Herbert Bix and John W. Dower
, Fellers—under an assignment by the code name OPERATION BLACKLIST—allowed them to coordinate their stories to exonerate Emperor Hirohito
and all members of his family. This was at the direction of MacArthur
, now head of SCAP
, who wanted no criminal prosecution of the Emperor and his family.
in Washington, D.C.
In the early 1950s Fellers was actively involved in promoting Robert Taft
as a Presidential candidate. After Taft's defeat to Eisenhower in the 1952 Republican convention, Fellers became a member of the John Birch Society
. Fellers also became actively involved in promoting Barry Goldwater for the Presidency.
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
officer who served during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
as military attaché
Military attaché
A military attaché is a military expert who is attached to a diplomatic mission . This post is normally filled by a high-ranking military officer who retains the commission while serving in an embassy...
and psychological warfare
Psychological warfare
Psychological warfare , or the basic aspects of modern psychological operations , have been known by many other names or terms, including Psy Ops, Political Warfare, “Hearts and Minds,” and Propaganda...
director. He was a considered a protégé of General Douglas MacArthur
Douglas MacArthur
General of the Army Douglas MacArthur was an American general and field marshal of the Philippine Army. He was a Chief of Staff of the United States Army during the 1930s and played a prominent role in the Pacific theater during World War II. He received the Medal of Honor for his service in the...
.
World War II
In 1941, then-ColonelColonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
Fellers was Military Attaché to the U.S. Embassy in Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
. He was assigned to monitor and report on British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
military operations in North Africa
Western Desert Campaign
The Western Desert Campaign, also known as the Desert War, was the initial stage of the North African Campaign during the Second World War. The campaign was heavily influenced by the availability of supplies and transport. The ability of the Allied forces, operating from besieged Malta, to...
and the Middle East
Middle East Theatre of World War II
The Middle East Theatre of World War II is defined largely by reference to the British Middle East Command, which controlled Allied forces in both Southwest Asia and eastern North Africa...
. As the representative of a very important friendly power, he was given full access to British activities and information. Fellers reported everything he learned to the U.S. His reports were especially prized by Army commander in chief General George Marshall
George Marshall
George Catlett Marshall was an American military leader, Chief of Staff of the Army, Secretary of State, and the third Secretary of Defense...
.
Fellers' messages were sent by radio, encrypted in the "Black Code" of the U.S. State Department
United States Department of State
The United States Department of State , is the United States federal executive department responsible for international relations of the United States, equivalent to the foreign ministries of other countries...
. The details of this code were stolen from the U.S. Embassy in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
by Italian spies in September 1941; it was also broken by German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
cryptanalysts, who read "Black Code" messages.
Fellers' radiograms were intercepted and decrypted by the Germans. They were a treasure trove of valuable information to the Axis
Axis Powers
The Axis powers , also known as the Axis alliance, Axis nations, Axis countries, or just the Axis, was an alignment of great powers during the mid-20th century that fought World War II against the Allies. It began in 1936 with treaties of friendship between Germany and Italy and between Germany and...
. The information was not only extensive and timely, it was also guaranteed authentic: the British would not be lying to their American friends.
Information from Fellers' messages alerted the Axis
Axis Powers
The Axis powers , also known as the Axis alliance, Axis nations, Axis countries, or just the Axis, was an alignment of great powers during the mid-20th century that fought World War II against the Allies. It began in 1936 with treaties of friendship between Germany and Italy and between Germany and...
to British convoy operations in the Mediterranean Sea
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
, including efforts to resupply the garrison of Malta
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
. Information about the numbers and condition of British forces was provided to General Rommel
Erwin Rommel
Erwin Johannes Eugen Rommel , popularly known as the Desert Fox , was a German Field Marshal of World War II. He won the respect of both his own troops and the enemies he fought....
, the famed German commander in Africa. He could thus plan his operations with reliable knowledge of what the opposing forces were. Rommel was so pleased with the intercepts that he referred to Fellers as "my bonnie fellow".
Fellers was later condemned for this information leak. But he had been ordered to use the State Department code over his objections, and had been ordered by Marshall to report in great detail. Criticism of Fellers for this problem generally came from those who distrusted him because of his close association both before and during the war with MacArthur. Marshall never found any fault with Fellers or with his actions in Egypt.
General Eisenhower
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower was the 34th President of the United States, from 1953 until 1961. He was a five-star general in the United States Army...
is recorded in the diary of English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
Hermione, Countess of Ranfurly
Hermione, Countess of Ranfurly
Hermione, Countess of Ranfurly, OBE, , was the British author of To War With Whitaker: The Wartime Diaries of the Countess of Ranfurly, 1939–1945...
, as saying to her, when she expressed admiration for Fellers, "Any friend of Bonner Fellers is no friend of mine!" She was insulted and he apologised the next day, offering her lunch. But she refused. Eisenhower had disliked Fellers since the time the two were serving under MacAruthur in the Philippines.1936-1937 was the period in which the professional relations between MacArthur and Eisenhower became very strained and MacArthur began to use Fellers as his confidant.
In July 1942, Fellers was transferred from Egypt. His successor as Attaché used the U.S. military cipher, which the Germans could not read. Upon returning to the U.S. Fellers was decorated with the Distinguished Service Medal
Distinguished Service Medal (United States)
The Distinguished Service Medal is the highest non-valorous military and civilian decoration of the United States military which is issued for exceptionally meritorious service to the government of the United States in either a senior government service position or as a senior officer of the United...
for his excellent analysis and reporting of the North African situation. He was also promoted to Brigadier General, the first in the West Point Class of 1918. Although wishing to return to the Middle East as a member of the OSS, when he found out that that was impossible Fellers, in the summer of 1943, left his job in the Office of Strategic Services(OSS), where he played a central role in planning psychological warfare, and once again began working for General MacArthur in the Southwest Pacific. Fellers later served as military secretary and the Chief of Psychological Operations under MacArthur. While assigned to the OSS in Washington, he was, recalled a colleague, 'the most violent Anglophobe I have encountered.'
Postwar Japan
After the war, Fellers played a major role in the occupation of JapanJapan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. He met with the major defendants of the Tokyo tribunal. According to historians Herbert Bix and John W. Dower
John W. Dower
John W. Dower is an American author and historian.Dower earned a bachelor's degree in American Studies from Amherst College in 1959, and a Ph.D. in History and Far Eastern Languages from Harvard University in 1972, where he studied under Albert M. Craig...
, Fellers—under an assignment by the code name OPERATION BLACKLIST—allowed them to coordinate their stories to exonerate Emperor Hirohito
Hirohito
, posthumously in Japan officially called Emperor Shōwa or , was the 124th Emperor of Japan according to the traditional order, reigning from December 25, 1926, until his death in 1989. Although better known outside of Japan by his personal name Hirohito, in Japan he is now referred to...
and all members of his family. This was at the direction of MacArthur
MacArthur
MacArthur or Macarthur may refer to:-Geography:* Division of Macarthur, Sydney* General MacArthur, Eastern Samar, Philippines* John D...
, now head of SCAP
Supreme Commander of the Allied Powers
Supreme Commander of the Allied Powers was the title held by General Douglas MacArthur during the Occupation of Japan following World War II...
, who wanted no criminal prosecution of the Emperor and his family.
Demobilisation and politics
In October 1946, Fellers was demobilized by Eisenhower and returned to his permanent rank of Colonel. He retired from the Army and worked for the Republican National CommitteeRepublican National Committee
The Republican National Committee is an American political committee that provides national leadership for the Republican Party of the United States. It is responsible for developing and promoting the Republican political platform, as well as coordinating fundraising and election strategy. It is...
in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
In the early 1950s Fellers was actively involved in promoting Robert Taft
Robert Taft
Robert Alphonso Taft , of the Taft political family of Cincinnati, was a Republican United States Senator and a prominent conservative statesman...
as a Presidential candidate. After Taft's defeat to Eisenhower in the 1952 Republican convention, Fellers became a member of the John Birch Society
John Birch Society
The John Birch Society is an American political advocacy group that supports anti-communism, limited government, a Constitutional Republic and personal freedom. It has been described as radical right-wing....
. Fellers also became actively involved in promoting Barry Goldwater for the Presidency.