This project would not have been successful had it not been for the help and support of so many people. First, let me thank Prof. Dennis Showalter, who has mentored me in every stage of my career. He called one night and said that he had a great idea for a project for me—one related to a recently released Office of Special Investigations report. As he has done so many times in the past, Dennis nudged me to explore topics, such as this one, that are on the periphery of my normal research focus. I was not initially sure that I could do justice to an analysis of the work completed by the Office of Special Investigations with regard to possible Nazi war criminals living in the United States or in the employ of a government agency, but as I delved deeper into the material, I was hooked. The result was this book—Spies, Lies, and Citizenship. Dennis did more than just suggest this topic. He provided advice throughout my research and writing. Furthermore, as I completed each chapter, I sent it to him for an assessment. Dennis always came through, and his encouragement paid off. This manuscript would not have seen the light of day without Dennis Showalter.
I would like to thank my editors at University of Nebraska Press/Potomac Books—first Kristen Elias Rowley and then Thomas Swanson—who believed in me and in this project. Without their support and a contract, I might have let this research simmer on the backburner indefinitely. I would also like to thank Jonathan Fennell and the Defence Studies Department at the Joint Services Command and Staff College in Shrivenham, who invited me to the college to give a talk based on this research. Not only did Jonathan and his colleagues give me positive feedback, but presenting my research also fueled the momentum that has enabled me to write much of this book in the past year.
I would like to thank my colleagues at Mississippi State University for their support and advice as I worked on this project. I also gratefully acknowledge my family, who believed in me. Without them, I could not have accomplished all that I have. Special thanks to Dr. David I. Hall, who supported me as I researched and wrote this manuscript. His faith in me and my abilities gave me the confidence that I needed to complete this project.