For Love of Country...and Family: the Mafia, World War II, and Operation Underworld

Episode 22 deals with the outbreak of World War II and the mafia's involvement. Pettengill notes that the early stages of the war went very badly for the Americans. The Navy lost dozens of ships in the first year alone. Many charged Nazi sabotage, specifically along the New York docks. To that end, mafiosi like Luck Luciano may be able to help. They could offer vital information to stop the German sabotage. And the involvement did not stop there! Pettengill points out that the Mafia also supplied critical information that may have helped the Allies liberate Italy through the invasion of Sicily. The war also gave the mafia an opportunity to reinvent itself. The Office of Price Administration capped consumption of materials that were desperately needed for the war, which created a thriving black market. And numerous mafiosi were more than happy to supply the desired good.