The Mafia at War: Allied Collusion with the Mob: Mussolini, Hitler and the Mob [Hardcover]

An engrossing account that has the read-on factor of the finest thriller, and which shows, all too clearly, the compromises the Allies were prepared to make in the pursuit of victory --James Holland, author of Fortress Malta and The Burning Blue

'Newark tells an extraordinary tale with pace and conviction, and impressively unravels what really happened from the pervasive myths' --History Today magazine

A fascinating and compelling work on three of the most evil movements of the 20th century. It ought to be required reading for anyone looking for insights into the period --Richard Hammer

`A fascinating and compelling work on three of the most evil movements of the 20th century'

`An engrossing account that has the read-on factor of the finest thriller'

'Newark tells an extraordinary tale with pace and conviction, and impressively unravels what really happened from the pervasive myths'

The Mafia is the most powerful criminal organisation the world has ever known. This book tells the epic story of how the Mafia was nearly destroyed by Mussolini, prospered in the US, struck a secret wartime deal with the US government, and then backed a bloody rebellion that nearly turned Sicily into an independent Mafia realm. Using eye-witness accounts, contemporary reports and declassified intelligence documents, some never published before, The Mafia at War reconstructs the relationships of the Mafia and Allied intelligence organisations, including US Naval Intelligence, OSS, CIC, and MI6. It shows how Lucky Luciano won his freedom thanks to mobster help in World War Two; how Jewish gangsters clashed with Nazis on the streets of New York; how Mafiosi nearly issued contracts to kill top Nazis including Hitler; how British bobbies patrolled the deadly streets of Palermo; and how Mafia-backed bandits conducted a guerrilla war for Sicilian independence. Startling secret wartime documents reveal that General Eisenhower was happy to arm the Mafia during the Allied invasion of Sicily in 1943 and how the British were equally willing to work with top Mafiosi in their conquest of the island. The Mafia at War is a dramatic and provocative account of how a criminal organisation exploited the grim realities of World War II to revive its fortunes and dominate global crime.

Tim Newark is the editor of Military Illustrated, the leading British military history magazine. He is the author of numerous military history books, including The Barbarians, War in Britain, Where They Fell, Turning the Tide of War, and Camouflage. He is also the scriptwriter and historical consultant for a six-part TV documentary series on WWII for BBC Worldwide. Tim lives in London.