William j. Donovan

William j. Donovan

William J. Donovan

William J. Donovan (1883–1959), known as “Wild Bill,” was a towering figure in American military and intelligence history. A decorated World War I hero, earning the Medal of Honor, he later founded and led the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) during World War II, laying the groundwork for the modern CIA. As a lawyer, diplomat, and strategist, Donovan’s vision for coordinated intelligence revolutionized U.S. national security. His leadership in covert operations and espionage helped shape Allied victories. A charismatic yet controversial figure, Donovan’s legacy endures as a pioneer of intelligence, blending courage, innovation, and relentless dedication to American interests.

Connection to Operation Gladio

While Donovan died in 1959, before Operation Gladio’s most documented activities in the 1960s–1980s, his OSS laid the groundwork for NATO’s stay-behind networks.

The OSS trained European resistance groups during WWII, many of which formed the nucleus of Gladio’s anti-communist networks in countries like Italy, France, and Belgium. For example, OSS-trained Italian partisans were later recruited into Gladio.

His active intelligence career ended in 1945, however his covert warfare and anti-communist networks directly influenced the CIA and NATO’s Cold War strategies, including Gladio. Donovan’s protégés, like Allen Dulles, were instrumental in Gladio’s establishment in the late 1940s, using OSS tactics to create clandestine armies to “counter Soviet influence”.