Peter Rhodes
Encyclopedia
Peter Christopher Rhodes was an American journalist
born in Manila
. FBI files note a discrepancy between his date of birth and that given to the Selective Service Commission. Rhodes early background information is among extensive redactions in his FBI file.
Rhodes parents were divorced in 1914 and remarried in 1915. Christof Beutinger, Rhodes father, was shot and killed in his home in 1916, and Rhodes mother, who worked in British intelligence, was tried in his death. Rhodes mother maintained it was self-defense, and was acquitted. She later changed her name back to "Rhodes", her maiden name.
Peter Rhodes received a B.A. from Columbia University in 1933 and a M.A. in 1934. He received a graduate fellowship to Oxford, England, and studied there until 1936.
In 1936 Rhodes was employed by the New York Herald Tribune
in Paris. In 1937 Rhodes worked for United Press as a war correspondent in Paris, working in Spain and Norway in succeeding months.
In 1940, as the Norwegian campaign
unfolded, Rhodes covered the battle of Narvik and then escaped to the United States, via Sweden and Russia. He then was assigned to London where he remained during the London blitz
.
Rhodes returned to the New York and began employment with the federal government in the Foreign Broadcasting Monitoring Service of the Federal Communications Commission at a good salary. In February the FBI, while surveiling Jacob Golos
, head of the secret apparatus of the CPUSA followed Golos to Rhodes' apartment in New York. Golos attached much significance to Rhodes' work.
Rhodes became chief of the Atlantic News service of the Office of War Information (OWI) and was in Algeria in November 1942, Sicily in September 1943 and London in November 1943. In 1945 Rhodes' position was described as Assistant Outpost Manager, Area 1, Branch Overseas, Branch Outpost with the Office of War Information. His duties entailed recruiting and training personnel for United States Army psychological warfare
operations in Europe and in liberated areas.
Soviet intelligence officers in New York considered Rhodes an important contact but by early 1945 lost track of his whereabouts. Joseph Katz
repeatedly pressed Elizabeth Bentley
to track down Rhodes through his Belgian wife residing in New York City.
The Dies Committee discovered Rhodes may have been involved in election fraud after his signature appeared on Communist Party petitions for the General Elections of 1940, and earlier New York city and state elections, listed addresses at which he had never lived.
No evidence of any contact with the Soviet intelligence is to be found in the FBI documents on him.
He died in the United States in about 1966.
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
born in Manila
Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
. FBI files note a discrepancy between his date of birth and that given to the Selective Service Commission. Rhodes early background information is among extensive redactions in his FBI file.
Rhodes parents were divorced in 1914 and remarried in 1915. Christof Beutinger, Rhodes father, was shot and killed in his home in 1916, and Rhodes mother, who worked in British intelligence, was tried in his death. Rhodes mother maintained it was self-defense, and was acquitted. She later changed her name back to "Rhodes", her maiden name.
Peter Rhodes received a B.A. from Columbia University in 1933 and a M.A. in 1934. He received a graduate fellowship to Oxford, England, and studied there until 1936.
In 1936 Rhodes was employed by the New York Herald Tribune
New York Herald Tribune
The New York Herald Tribune was a daily newspaper created in 1924 when the New York Tribune acquired the New York Herald.Other predecessors, which had earlier merged into the New York Tribune, included the original The New Yorker newsweekly , and the Whig Party's Log Cabin.The paper was home to...
in Paris. In 1937 Rhodes worked for United Press as a war correspondent in Paris, working in Spain and Norway in succeeding months.
In 1940, as the Norwegian campaign
Norwegian Campaign
The Norwegian Campaign was a military campaign that was fought in Norway during the Second World War between the Allies and Germany, after the latter's invasion of the country. In April 1940, the United Kingdom and France came to Norway's aid with an expeditionary force...
unfolded, Rhodes covered the battle of Narvik and then escaped to the United States, via Sweden and Russia. He then was assigned to London where he remained during the London blitz
The Blitz
The Blitz was the sustained strategic bombing of Britain by Nazi Germany between 7 September 1940 and 10 May 1941, during the Second World War. The city of London was bombed by the Luftwaffe for 76 consecutive nights and many towns and cities across the country followed...
.
Rhodes returned to the New York and began employment with the federal government in the Foreign Broadcasting Monitoring Service of the Federal Communications Commission at a good salary. In February the FBI, while surveiling Jacob Golos
Jacob Golos
Jacob Golos, , was a Ukrainian-born Bolshevik revolutionary of ethnic Jewish heritage who became a secret police operative on behalf of the USSR in the United States...
, head of the secret apparatus of the CPUSA followed Golos to Rhodes' apartment in New York. Golos attached much significance to Rhodes' work.
Rhodes became chief of the Atlantic News service of the Office of War Information (OWI) and was in Algeria in November 1942, Sicily in September 1943 and London in November 1943. In 1945 Rhodes' position was described as Assistant Outpost Manager, Area 1, Branch Overseas, Branch Outpost with the Office of War Information. His duties entailed recruiting and training personnel for United States Army psychological warfare
Psychological warfare
Psychological warfare , or the basic aspects of modern psychological operations , have been known by many other names or terms, including Psy Ops, Political Warfare, “Hearts and Minds,” and Propaganda...
operations in Europe and in liberated areas.
Soviet intelligence officers in New York considered Rhodes an important contact but by early 1945 lost track of his whereabouts. Joseph Katz
Joseph Katz
Joseph Katz allegedly worked for Soviet intelligence from the 1930s to the late 1940s as one of its most active liaison agents. Katz was assigned management of the “First Line,” that part of the NKGB mission aimed at recruiting selected members of the Communist Party USA...
repeatedly pressed Elizabeth Bentley
Elizabeth Bentley
Elizabeth Terrill Bentley was an American spy for the Soviet Union from 1938 until 1945. In 1945 she defected from the Communist Party and Soviet intelligence and became an informer for the U.S. She exposed two networks of spies, ultimately naming over 80 Americans who had engaged in espionage for...
to track down Rhodes through his Belgian wife residing in New York City.
The Dies Committee discovered Rhodes may have been involved in election fraud after his signature appeared on Communist Party petitions for the General Elections of 1940, and earlier New York city and state elections, listed addresses at which he had never lived.
No evidence of any contact with the Soviet intelligence is to be found in the FBI documents on him.
He died in the United States in about 1966.