Anti-Fascist Mafiosi: Organized Crime's Fight Against American Fascism

Episode 21 explores the lead-up to World War II and the small but dangerous fascist movement of the late 1930s. Gangsters such as Meyer Lansky and Longy Zwillman resented the public display of Nazism on American streets. Judge Nathan Perlman also resented the public display of hate. So, the alliance was born. In this episode, Pettengill explores the relationship between Jews who had gone into the professions and those who entered into the ranks of organized crime. Although Perlman, Lansky, and Zwillman were not able to completely stamp out American fascism, as Pettengill demonstrates, they did give Americans the confidence to stand up to Nazis.