#1NEWYORKTIMESBESTSELLER-RachelMaddowtracesthefighttopreserveAmericandemocracybacktoWorldWarII,whenahandfulofcommittedpublicservantsandbraveprivatecitizensthwartedfar-rightplotterstryingtosteerournationtowardanalliancewiththeNazis.“Arippingread--wellrendered,fast-pacedanddeliveredwiththesamepunchandassurancethatshebringstoabroadcast....Theparallelstothepresentdayarestrong,evenstartling.“--TheNewYorkTimes(Editors’Choice)InspiredbyherresearchforthehitpodcastUltra,RachelMaddowchartstheriseofawildAmericanstrainofauthoritarianismthathasbeenaliveonthefar-rightedgeofourpoliticsforthebetterpartofacentury.BeforeandevenafterourtroopshadbegunfightingabroadinWorldWarII,aclandestinenetworkfloodedthecountrywithdisinformationaimedatsappingthestrengthoftheU.S.wareffortandpersuadingAmericansthatournaturalalliancewas with theAxis,notagainstit.Itwasasophisticatedandshockinglywell-fundedcampaigntounderminedemocraticinstitutions,promoteantisemitism,anddestroycitizens’confidenceintheirelectedleaders,withtheultimategoalofoverthrowingtheU.S.governmentandinstallingauthoritarianrule.Thateffortworked--tongueandgroove--alongsideanultra-rightparamilitarymovementthatstockpiledbombsandweaponsandtrainedformassmurderandviolentinsurrection.Atthesametime,ahandfulofextraordinaryactivistsandjournalistsweretrackingthescheme,exposingitevenasitwasunfolding.In1941theU.S.DepartmentofJusticefinallymadeafrontalattack,identifyingthekeyplotters,findingtheirbackers,andprosecutingdozensinfederalcourt.Noneofitwentasplanned.Whiletheschemehasbeenrememberedinhistory--ifatall--astheworkoffringeplayers,inrealityitinvolvedalargenumberofsomeofthecountry’smostinfluentialelectedofficials.Theirinterferenceinlawenforcementeffortsagainsttheplotisadarkstoryoftheruleoflawbendingandthenbreakingundertheweightofpoliticalintimidation.Thatfailureofthelegalsystemhadconsequences.Thetentaclesofthatunslainbeasthavereachedforwardintoourhistoryfordecades.Buttheheroiceffortsoftheactivists,journalists,prosecutors,andregularcitizenswhosoughttoexposetheinsurrectionistsalsomakeforadeeplyresonant,deeplyrelevanttaleinourowndisquietingtimes.
