Catherine Sama – Modern and Classical Languages and Literature

The primary goals of Dr. Sama’s research project are to 1) enhance our knowledge of women’s roles in the Italian Resistance movement, and 2) shed light on the collaboration between Italian partisans and the U.S. Office of Strategic Services (OSS) – the intelligence agency formed during WWII to coordinate espionage and sabotage activities behind enemy lines. Sama plans to create a limited series podcast about this complex historical partnership and time period (1943-45). It will feature the voices of the individual women and men involved in the fight to liberate Northern Italy from Nazi-Fascist control.

This talk explores the actions, dilemmas, fears, and hopes of these individuals as seen through the primary sources Sama has collected thus far: interviews with the partisans and OSS agents; military documents now declassified, including radio messages transmitted from behind enemy lines; private letters and papers; and interviews with descendants on both Italian and American sides.

Dr. Sama’s talk was only delivered in-person as her research is still in its early stages. Please stay tuned for access to Sama’s limited series podcast.