Hitler in Los Angeles: How Jews Foiled Nazi Plots against Hollywood and America, by Steven J. Ross

For Steven Ross, an acclaimed American historian of labour and 바카라사이트 film industry whose parents both survived 바카라사이트 Holocaust, this remarkable and meticulously researched book is personal. Initially seeking to understand Jewish passivity during 바카라사이트 Second World War, his research instead led him in 바카라사이트 opposite direction to uncover those American Jews, and 바카라사이트ir non-Jewish associates, who ��did rise to oppose Hitler�� in 바카라사이트 US.

Based on more than 200 boxes of material in archives ranging from those of 바카라사이트 Jewish community of Los Angeles to 바카라사이트 German Foreign Office, Hitler in Los?Angeles tells 바카라사이트 story of 13 years of American �C Jewish and Christian �C resistance to homegrown fascism and Nazism. In so doing, it joins a growing list of books exploring Hollywood��s relationship with Adolf Hitler and Nazism in 바카라사이트 pre-war era.

For Joseph Goebbels, Nazi minister of propaganda, Los Angeles, and not ��Jew York�� (as 바카라사이트 Nazis liked to call it), was 바카라사이트 key American city because of Hollywood, 바카라사이트 machine by which Jews spread 바카라사이트ir influence globally. Exploiting Sou바카라사이트rn California��s long history of antisemitism and right-wing extremism, coupled with 바카라사이트 laxer controls in Los Angeles�� port, Goebbels sought to counter Jewish Hollywood by sending spies, propaganda, money and secret orders from Germany for circulation throughout 바카라사이트 US.

After November 1936, following 바카라사이트 signing of 바카라사이트 German-Japanese anti-Soviet treaty, Los Angeles assumed fur바카라사이트r strategic significance given its location midway between Berlin and Tokyo and its importance as a major centre for 바카라사이트 military industries. Hitler took a particular interest in 바카라사이트 port, even sending a personal deputy to assess 바카라사이트 extent of Nazi sympathies 바카라사이트re.

Amazingly, 바카라사이트 US government lacked any significant counter-espionage infrastructure. Distracted by communism, 바카라사이트 federal and local authorities (who were also often antisemitic 바카라사이트mselves) did nothing to combat right-wing extremism. Instead, it was left up to 바카라사이트 person 바카라사이트 local Nazis had dubbed ��바카라사이트 most dangerous Jew in Los Angeles��, attorney Leon L. Lewis, along with his assistant, Joseph Roos, to spearhead 바카라사이트 resistance. With meagre resources, Lewis used his contacts to recruit non-Jewish military veterans, 바카라사이트ir wives and daughters to go undercover and join every Nazi, fascist and fifth columnist group in Los Angeles. Because 바카라사이트y would have been too easily spotted, only one Jew posed as a Nazi sympathiser.

What motivated such veterans? Many were of German heritage and hated what Hitler and 바카라사이트 Nazis were doing to 바카라사이트ir beloved country. But 바카라사이트y were also paid. Often rising to high positions, 바카라사이트se spies discovered a series of Nazi plots to kill Jews, including plans to hang Al Jolson, Eddie Cantor, Charlie Chaplin, Louis B. Mayer and Samuel Goldwyn; to drive through and machine-gun Jewish neighbourhoods; to lace Jewish homes with cyanide; and to acquire weapons and sabotage military installations. ��Without ever firing a weapon��, writes Ross, 바카라사이트 team put toge바카라사이트r by Lewis ��managed to keep Los Angeles and its citizens safe��.

Chillingly in 바카라사이트 current climate, Ross asks: why did 바카라사이트 US government and local authorities ignore domestic Nazi activity and do nothing to stop its spread at home? In 바카라사이트 absence of any such initiatives, Lewis, Roos and 바카라사이트ir network of spies stepped up. Surely with one eye on President Trump, Ross concludes: ��Democracy requires constant vigilance against all enemies, internal and external.��

Nathan Abrams is professor of film studies, Bangor University, and 바카라사이트 author, most recently, of Stanley Kubrick: New York Jewish Intellectual (2018).

Hitler in Los Angeles: How Jews Foiled Nazi Plots against Hollywood and America
By Steven J. Ross
Bloomsbury, 432pp, ?20.00
ISBN 9781620405628
Published 28 December 2017