First published 2023
Rachel Maddow investigates a forgotten chapter of World War II when fascist conspirators nearly succeeded in overthrowing American democracy from within. Drawing from her research for the podcast Ultra, Maddow reveals how a well-funded network of Nazi sympathizers flooded the country with propaganda designed to turn Americans against their own war effort. This sophisticated disinformation campaign worked alongside violent paramilitary groups stockpiling weapons for insurrection. The plot involved prominent elected officials who used their power to obstruct justice when federal prosecutors finally moved against the conspirators in 1941. Maddow shows how the failure to fully prosecute this threat allowed authoritarian movements to survive and resurface throughout American history. She also celebrates the courage of activists, journalists, and ordinary citizens who risked everything to expose the conspiracy as it unfolded. Their heroic efforts offer lessons for defending democracy in our own troubled era.
Genres: historical-fiction, 20th-century, non-fiction, 21st-century, activism, american-history
Vibes: suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: historical-fiction, investigative-journalism
Setting: America
Period: World War II
416 pages · Hardcover · Crown
Content warnings: violence