W. J. Holmes Double-Edged Secrets

Double-Edged Secrets Double-Edged Secrets is a personal narrative written by W. J. Holmes. Holmes is employed by the combat intelligence unit during World War II to work for the naval organization. From June 1941 until the end of World War II, Holmes is stationed in Honolulu, Hawaii and works on collecting, and analyzing intelligence information. His personal narrative highlights the moral dilemmas that he faced regarding the use of intelligence information. Holmes reveals in an understanding and compassionate way the difficulties in not only collecting the intelligence, but also when to use the information. If the information is used then it is more likely that the Japanese will change their code to prevent further decoding, but if the information is not used then the results could cost the lives of American soldiers. Holmes job during the war was to monitor and track non-combatant ships in the eastern Pacific.

A message was sent out to all military personnel that any Japanese or Germans living on the island should be reported to the FBI. Immediately, Holmes thought of his neighbor. Otto Kuehn was a family friend and shared interest with Holmes about naval intelligence and war time theories. Kuehn was also a German and Holmes then had to decide whether or not to report him. Holmes had to think about the life of his own family compared to the life of Kuehn. If he did report him, then on the chance that he was a spy, Kuehn could continue communicating and planning against the U.S. which would ultimately hurt his family. Although, if he turned him in them Kuehn could be sentenced to the death penalty. This was a choice that Holmes could not consider, he urgently turned in Kuehn to protect not only his family, but the United States as well. Kuehn was reported to the FBI and later found to be a spy communicating with the Japanese through the use of his