Inside The True Story Of WWII’s Most Decorated Spy | TODAY

The new book “Code Name: Lise” details the heroism of Odette Sansom, World War II’s most decorated spy. Few people have heard her story, so NBC’s Stephanie Gosk sat down with the book’s author and Sansom’s granddaughter to learn more.
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#OdetteSansom #CodeNameLise #TodayShow
Inside The True Story Of WWII’s Most Decorated Spy | TODAY

[@susansykes6855]

Odette, Violette Szabo, Noor Inayat Khan, Eileen and Didi Nearne and other incredibly brave woman.

[@parentsbasement7734]

These women have more balls than most men. When she talks about once ya get rid of the mental part of torture it's just physical pain and she could deal with it. Amazing.

[@andrewwebb-trezzi2422]

“All she ever talked about was that her comrades didn’t make it” truly made me shed a tear.

[@garfieldfarkle]

Odette was a true hero. She was the first woman awarded the George Cross and miraculously survived the Ravensbruck concentration camp. Although tortured viciously by the Nazis, she did not talk. Odette successfully sued historian M.R.D. Foot, forcing him to make several changes in his "SOE in France," in which he falsely claimed captured female SOE operatives were not tortured.

[@nursedaniel72]

Nancy Wake was the best Australian agent in France and in the same organisation as Odette. And actually Nancy was the most decorated Australian SOE operative. Nancy started the escape lines in Marseilles also. Wonderful heroic women.

[@billlake2060]

I have named my daughter Odette in her honour, and my son is named after Douglas Bader.

[@robert8552]

I'm actually surprised that so little is known of Odette. We grew up with her story and saw the original film numerous times!

[@julianbraylen6049]

instablaster

[@shelleygibbons1065]

These women were amazing! I love history! I hold them as my greatest heros

[@AbsoluteRangatira]

What a hero! She would have been my grandmother's idol during WWII

[@fionaphillips3458]

My admiration makes me think of this brave woman to her story should be more widely taught so young women now are aware of how extraordinary this woman truly was.

[@ShearedJoy]

I found this after reading about Eileen (wireless operator) and Jacqueline (courier) Nearne, sisters who also worked in Nazi controlled France. Odette, Eileen, and Yvonne Baseden were the 3 SOE female agents that survived Ravensbruck camp. “Sisters and Spies” by Susan Ottaway Eileen’s nickname was Didi.

[@alicat7281]

What a life! Amazing. World War II had so many incredible moments of individual tragedy and heroism. What a time to be alive! But being alive today is pretty incredible, too. We are living in extraordinary times.

[@houssameddine1965]

Alicat 72 I don’t know it’s because you’ve picked the right words or it’s just that I’m fascinated with the English language, but I find your comment excellent 👌 It is true that living in WW2 is incredibly indescribable but being able to revive these moments thanks to technology is amazing too. I’m so thankful that English gave me the opportunity to discover a whole new world and unhide many mysteries since we never learned such things at school in Morocco. Stay safe and thanks again for your wonderful comment!

[@irishheart99]

I believe it was this woman that I heard speak at a US military base in 1997-2000. It has stayed with me my whole life since. The torture she endured. I would love to read anything about her. She touched my life profoundly.

[@ShearedJoy]

How wonderful. I would have liked to meet this woman of such extraordinary character.

[@gaswhole]

she died in 1995

[@yvonnemunro7119]

We must never forget the people who fought to overcome evil

[@KimParkerPabalinga]

Well said!!

[@jeffreyedwards5262]

British film made about her called Odette. Very good indeed.

[@kevindunham3965]

Their is a black and white film re Odette made in 1950

[@maidaursuladawn44glasgow3]

I was born in 1944 when all of these young women were making such a huge contribution to the war effort my father gave me her book to read when I was 14. This left a huge impression on me it was so very hard to read. There were photos of people who the were dead piled up like logs outside the ovens within the camps.. This was hard to see., and those photos remain printed in my mind to this day.

[@exsgt007]

I just finished the book and advise any reader to read the appendix for some surprising info.

[@eugenecbell]

Im reading this book right now. She and her kind are amazing women. God pleas them all. ThNk you for our freedom.

[@tomadalove5852]

That was the best generation ever!!!!!

[@spiderliliez]

I hope if they make a film, please don't change things too much.

[@jeffreyedwards609]

There is a film about her .

[@ianharwell7500]

Perhaps not in the USA, but in Britain & France she is well remembered as a steely WW2 heroine that worked within the classic SOE three person team. That's, Organiser, Courier & radio operator. She worked alongside the best, Peter Churchill (Organiser) & Adolphe Rabinovitch (Radio Operator). See her 1970's interview on Thames TV (London). Peter survived the war but alas, Adolphe was executed by gas chamber. SOE feature films have been hit and miss since the 1950's - "Odette" (1950) is quite good and deserves a re-make.

[@Jeep2004]

What an amazing woman!

[@darrenb230]

What about Virginia Hall?

[@thomastaylor558]

or nancy wake

[@carollawrence935]

There is another book about her called: Code Name Odette. I have it.

[@andreedowns4561]

STAYING ALIVE BECAUSE OF THE MISSION....AS LONG AS THEY COULD ♥️♥️♥️😳

[@emilyvi82]

Beautiful ww2 story

[@briancooper2112]

Great book!

[@megandunell399]

Sounds like Nancy Wake

[@tommcdonald1873]

Odette and Nancy had different roles in SOE. Odette was a courier in 1942 - 1943 while Wake was working in the French Resistance network with Ian Garrow and Albert Geurisse (Pat O'leary). But after escaping to England, Wake was trained by SOE in early 1944 to help coordinate and organize Maquis supply drops and plan Maquis attacks to German communication and transportation once Overlord started. For Wake, she actually shared a role in participating in maquis operations and was credited with killing German soldiers including SS Officers. Samson helped SOE get started and Wake helped finish the job.

[@Camille-cu3cb]

CHURCHILLS FAVOURITE WW11 SPY WAS CHRISTINE GRANVILLE HER BRAVERY IS AN AMAZING BOOK

[@frankdonnelly891]

They obviously never seen the movie Odette

[@AM-qp2wx]

Code name Lise (pronounced 'Leez'), not 'lizay'.

[@ednamanderson3707]

Waaw

[@suerobinson7796]

Only in America are our women not known,we were all brought up knowing tge names and stories

[@slurpeeslurp4701]

2nd

[@colsmith7257]

Americans hear nothing or no nothing