You know Monopoly as the game that ruins friendships and sparks hourlong battles over Park Place. But during World War II, it played a much more significant and far braver role: helping Allied soldiers escape from German POW camps. Yes, really . In one of the most brilliant covert ops of the war, the British Secret Service turned Monopoly into a top-secret escape kit. Before this tactic, smuggling noisy paper maps without tipping off the guards was too risky, and getting caught could be fatal for prisoners. Enter silk — strong, weather-resistant, and, most importantly, silent. The British turned to John Waddington Ltd., the licensed Monopoly manufacturer in the UK, who also happened to be an expert in printing on silk. It was a match made in espionage heaven. Waddington didn’t just tuck maps into game boxes, though. In a locked room most employees didn’t know existed, craftsmen rigged Monopoly sets with tiny metal files, magnetic compasses, and even real currency hidden beneath the play money. Each game was marked with a secret red dot on the Free Parking space — an insider’s clue for captured soldiers to look out for. Thanks to a clever partnership with the Red Cross, these “games” were slipped into POW camps as humanitarian aid packages. The guards thought they were passing along innocent entertainment. Meanwhile, inside the box were the tools to freedom. By the end of the war, over 35,000 POWs had escaped German camps — many with the help of these customized Monopoly sets. Though exact numbers are lost to history, Monopoly’s role in those escapes is one of the war’s clever secrets. ALLIED POWERS OUTWITTED THE ENEMY, ONE GAME AT A TIME WHEN MONOPOLY HELPED WIN A WAR
SHUT DOWN SNOOPING
If you are a woman preparing for a divorce, protecting your peace starts with protecting your privacy, especially if you are leaving a narcissist or abusive spouse. As you gather the necessary information, make arrangements, and get organized for a separation, you must ensure your partner doesn’t learn your plans before you’re ready. From changing your passwords to securing your smart devices, you can safeguard your privacy to get the best possible outcome for a divorce. START WITH A SAFE EMAIL If you don’t secure your inbox, your email will contain a paper trail of evidence that you are preparing for a divorce. Start by creating a private account that only you have access to. You should use this account for any correspondence related to your plans, like contacting a lawyer. You can add a two-step verification that requires you or anyone trying to open your email to enter a code, usually texted to your phone. LOCK DOWN YOUR LOGINS Change the passwords on your digital accounts, banking information, devices, and social media pages. Though this may seem like an obvious security step, many people fail to do it. Link any of the accounts you want to stay private to your new, secure email address. Keep in mind that some banks will send a letter or notify the household if there is an email update or change, so double-check and plan to catch that notification before your partner does. Ensure your phone or tablet has a lock screen and password. SILENCE THE SIGNAL Many of the apps on your phone allow other users to view your location, which could be an issue if you are seeing your lawyer or touring apartments. In your settings, you can view which programs have that feature turned on and who can see where you are. This is a relatively simple feature to turn off in settings, but if you are having trouble, visit your local Best Buy to ask a member of the Geek Squad to help you turn off location sharing. Digital Safety Tips for Women Preparing to Divorce
The mission was kept quiet for decades to preserve the strategy for future use. Today, the story reminds us that the simplest tools can sometimes carry out extraordinary missions. Next time you pass “Go,” just remember Monopoly once helped people pass barbed wire.
Is your friend or client married to a controlling, manipulative, narcissistic husband?
OUR BOOKS CAN HELP!
The book can be downloaded for FREE at DivorceInformationBooks.com
For more tips to protect your privacy and plan for a divorce, download our book “The Women’s Guide for Getting Organized for Divorce” at BrucePA.com/books .
2 • BrucePA.com
Made with FlippingBook Ebook Creator