When Monopoly Helped Win a War Allied Powers Outwitted the Enemy, One Game at a Time
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. 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.
Why This Season Demands Extra Caution Teens, Cars, and Summer Hazards
When summer rolls around, the roads get busier, and for families with teenage drivers, it’s a real source of anxiety. Teens are out of school, which means many of them spend more time behind the wheel and sometimes make choices without fully understanding the risks that come with them. The period between Memorial Day and Labor Day is known nationwide as the “100 Deadliest Days.” On average, more than 275 teen drivers lose their lives in traffic accidents every month during this period. The reasons for the spike in fatal accidents aren’t hard to understand. Teens drive more in the summer, often without adult supervision. Many also spend more time driving at night, when visibility is lower and fatigue can be a factor. Add passengers, phones, and music into the mix, and the risks compound fast. In fact, studies show that distractions play a role in nearly 60% of crashes involving teen drivers. Inexperience is also a factor. Inexperienced drivers may not realize how fast is too fast until it’s too late. Teens are also more likely to misjudge a
situation or react too slowly in a crisis than adults. Other contributing factors include alcohol use, speeding, and not using seatbelts. Together, these issues contribute to a crash fatality rate among 16- to 19-year-olds three times higher than that of drivers 20 and older. So, what can you do as a parent? Start by having a direct conversation about safety with your teen. Talk with them about phone use, when they can drive, where they can go, and whom they can take along. A written agreement isn’t a bad idea, either. Writing out your expectations can help clarify rules and show your teen that driving is a responsibility and a privilege. Also, remember that teens learn a lot by watching. If you want them to stay off their phones, slow down, and wear a seatbelt, show them what that looks like. Giving teens the keys to a car is a big step, but with guidance and a focus on safe habits, it’s a step you can both take with confidence.
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