The Mafia at War

A look at the truth behind the story of organized crime's role in World War II.

The Mafia is the most powerful criminal organization the world has ever known. The Mafia at War tells the epic story of how the Mafia was nearly destroyed by Mussolini, prospered in the United States, struck a secret wartime deal with the US government, and then backed a bloody rebellion that nearly turned Sicily into an independent Mafia realm.


Author Tim Newark shows how Lucky Luciano won his freedom thanks to mobster help in World War II; 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.

The Mafia at War is a provocative account of how a criminal organization exploited the grim realities of World War II to revive its fortunes and dominate global crime.

Praise for The Mafia at War
"An engrossing history that reads like a thriller. The Godfather meets Band of Brothers." —Andrew Roberts
"Newark tells an extraordinary tale with pace and conviction, and impressively unravels what really happened from the pervasive myths." —History Today
"A fascinating and compelling work on three of the most evil movements of the twentieth century. It ought to be required reading for anyone looking for insights into the period." —Richard Hammer