Insidious Foes: The Axis Fifth Column and the American Home Front

by Francis MacDonnell

Book Overview

Nazi Germany's efforts to weaken the United States by subversion failed miserably. Bungling spies were captured and half-hearted efforts at sabotage came to nothing. Yet anyone who lived through WWII remembers the chilling posters warning Americans that "Enemy Agents Have Big Ears" and "Loose Lips Sink Ships." Even Superman joined the struggle against these insidious foes. In 1940, polls showed that 71% of Americans believed a Nazi Fifth Column had...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0195092686
• ISBN13: 9780195092684
• Release Date: November 1995
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
• Length: 264 Pages
• Weight: 0.22 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 6.3" x 9.3"

Customer Reviews

Fifth Column

The years before World War II were a time of economic, social and political crises that shaped ideologies, loyalties and activism. Propaganda became a force to be reckoned with, growing in part out of U.S. and British campaigns during the first war. As the threat of another war loomed, America seemed to be facing domestic enemies, and, once again, our fears were being exploited. Insidious Foes explores the challenges we faced, not just telling stories, but also discusses the spin surrounding them. It is complete, concise and readable. Although it would be easy to overplay the social and political climate of that era or build comparisons with similar events in later years, the author maintains his focus and does not digress. It is a book you can read quickly or over time, an uncommon trait of books dealing with history. If you ever wondered about the real or imagined insidious forces at work in the United States during that period, I highly recommend buying this book. America is a melting pot, welcoming immigrants with diverse loyalties to a society open to diverse views. As a result, insidious foes can easily live among us, exploiting freedom and being exploited. Read about them and speculate about what we can learn from their stories.

Cool Cover--Great Read.

I'm entirely biased because I was at Quincy while Fran was there. Try the other reviews for an objective opinion. Fran, I thoroughly enjoyed it and recalled your discussions of sabotage on the East Coast in WWI. Hope you're doing great! Greg Moore

Simply Excellent

As a former student of Dr. MacDonnel's, I'd have to say that I was biased when I bought this book. After reading it, I am more biased. This is a must-read for anyone interested in U.S. History.

An excellent work.

MacDonnell masterfully captures the fear and anxiety that were such a part of the American psyche at this time in our history. The fact that much of the anxiety we felt as a people was created from "within" makes this a fascinating read and, surprisingly, a topic that has not garnered greater attention in the past.