Hitler's British Nazis: The Hidden Story of the Fascist Movement in the UK

by Norman Ridley

Following the end of the First World War, many countries experienced economic decline. Unemployment, high inflation, low wages and poor working conditions led to widespread unrest. This manifested itself in the rise of powerful militaristic leaders, first in Italy where fascism was born, and then in Germany and elsewhere. The policies of the likes of Mussolini and Hitler were hugely popular, and fascism was seen by many as a viable political alternative to democracy.

To some degree, these ideals also gained traction in the UK where some individuals in and among the elite of British society believed fascism was the way forward for the country. This is fully explored in Hitler’s British Nazis which traces the evolution of extreme right-wing opinion from the turn of the century right through to the end of the Second World War. In particular it looks at the way British fascism developed its own character due to Britain having been on the winning side during the First World War.

Early fascist movements of the 1920s are analyzed including the fascist tendencies of the Suffragette Movement. The book then traces the way in which domestic politics and the dire economic situation of the early 1930s created a political vacuum that was filled by Oswald Mosley and his Blackshirt Movement.

Throughout the 1930s right-wing sympathisers looked to Hitler’s Germany rather than to Mussolini’s Italy for inspiration. Some members of aristocratic and political elites, many with virulent anti-Semitic views, saw in German fascism a template for Britain to build on but remained wilfully blind to the excesses of the Nazi regime that were getting worse by the day.

The book looks at the way in which Nazi Germany was depicted in the press and how powerful press barons, many of whom were pro-German and supported Chamberlain’s appeasement policies, were able to influence public opinion.

The role of the Mitford sisters, Unity in particular, is explored in detail as is the influence of the Cliveden Set under the leadership of the Astors and perhaps most interesting of all is the role played by King Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson as they flirted unashamedly with fascism and threatened to take Britain down a very different path to that which it took after the abdication.

Genres: Nonfiction

256 pages, Hardcover

Published May 5, 2024

Reviews

[Stephen · Rating 3 out of 5]

thanks to netgalley and the publishers for a free copy in return for open and honest review

Detailed and interesting look at British fascist movement from the origins until the early part of ww2 mainly fragmented and small but was deemed an interest by special branch to track them. enjoyed the book and learnt a few new things

[Mariel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hitler’s British Nazis: The Hidden Story of the Fascist Movement in the UK
By Norman Ridley

I received a complimentary copy and am voluntarily leaving a review.

“Hitler’s British Nazis: The Hidden Story of the Fascist Movement in the UK” is a captivating and enlightening exploration that shines a spotlight on the remarkable history of fascism during World War I and the buildup to World War II. Through meticulous research and vivid storytelling, the book delves into the lives and missions of the people who played pivotal roles during this period. The author chronicles the impact of certain people, including Oswald Mosley, Diana Mitford, Unity Mitford, Winston Churchill and even the details surrounding King Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson. It is a concise narration of how fascism developed, evolved, and spread throughout Europe and Britain. It explores why the populations of countries such as Germany felt compelled to embrace radical extremism after the First World War, attributing it to events like The Great Depression.

Starting from the very beginning, the book portrays life journeys in a captivating way, highlighting the lack of tranquillity in their lives. The narrative underscores the intrigue involved, while Norman Ridley also acknowledges the collective contributions of numerous others towards the war effort. A part of the book concentrates on highlighting each person mentioned in the book, their background and the role played, enriching the reader’s understanding of their importance. One of the book’s strengths is its focus on the lesser-known facts of this era, including perspectives on wartime intelligence and possible cover-ups. The author’s meticulous research is evident throughout the book, providing readers with a comprehensive and well-rounded understanding of the subject.

This book is a fascinating read. I never considered how much anti-Semitism and Nazi support existed in Britain before World War II. The amount of information contained within this book astounded me. I have read many books surrounding Hitler and World War II, but this was my first time discovering this topic. It was truly eye-opening to discover that in the 1930s, many privileged young women were sent to Germany for "finishing" purposes. I was left speechless when I learned that they were sent to a country Britain had recently been at war with.

Overall, Hitler’s British Nazis is a compelling and well-written account analyzing fascist tendencies. It is a must-read for anyone interested in World War, British history and espionage.
It deserves a perfect rating of 5 out of 5.

[Theediscerning · Rating 4 out of 5]

OK, I didn't quite get what I sought from this, but it was a close-run thing. I would say the general browser might need to search on for their book of choice in understanding fascism in Britain, for this struck me from the off as an A-level coursebook standard (actually, initially above that, then finding that level after a couple of chapters). But this is a book devoted to its topic, from the British Fascisti onwards. These guys (and girls – their leader was a woman, funding the thing through allowances from a mildly aristocratic mother) were blue in shirt, and didn't really have the impetus of fascist groups on the European continent. That said, even though Britain could not play the loser card and blame any defeat during WWI on the Jews, there were some who decided that Tommy's slowness in trench warfare gains was down to pernicious influence from the foreign types.

The piece proves to be a slightly awkward mix of narrative and biography – awkward because the biographies are fine, succinctly telling us who these people were and what they thought in their specific group; awkward because the chronology means we find so much mention of Mosley and his BUF before finding out how and why he was their leader. Awkward too in that things are just left to peter out; a proper survey of the subject might have ignored the title and tried for at least a footnote about the years since then. But this has the quite surprising detail to make this an appealing read – just how close activities and leadership of the WSPU suffragettes were to fascism; and while on Mosley, the nature of his imprisonment, with a house, space for gardening and sunbathing, and the chance to employ servants from the other inmates.

Nicely going way beyond the Rothermeres of this world, into people the average reader may not have heard, this is a commendable effort, if not a great one. For me it covered far too much of Edward and Wallis, and left mention of the Mitford father, Lord Redesdale, as "extreme pro-Nazi" with no extra information whatsoever. But this seems to cover a lot of the relevant ground, and shows fascism as of appeal to both the socialites the Nazis thought had influence, and the much more lowly man or woman, inspired to dislike the communist idea and vaguely admiring Hitler for getting the roads built and for keeping the "red threat" at bay.

[Shreedevi Gurumurty · Rating 4 out of 5]

British fascism is the form of fascism which is promoted by some political parties and movements in the United Kingdom.It is based on British ultranationalism and imperialism and had aspects of Italian fascism and Nazism both before and after WWII.Historical examples of fascist movements in Britain include the British Fascists (1923–1934), the British National Fascists (1924–1928), the Imperial Fascist League (1929–1939), the British Union of Fascists (1932–1940), the British League of Ex-Servicemen and Women (1937–1948) and the Union Movement (1948–1978). British fascism acknowledges the inspiration and legacy of Italian fascism and Nazism but it also states that it is not a mere application of a "foreign" ideology, alleging roots within British traditions.Early British fascism, as seen in the British Fascists, initially had "little evidence of fascism in its ideology".It evolved its ideals in response to conservative influences on the domestic scene and the post-war anti-labour movement.From Italian fascism it took inspiration of strong leadership and strong opposition to communism.Later British fascism, as seen in the British Union of Fascists, while inspired by, for example, Italian fascism's ideas on the Corporate State,claimed both its economic and political agenda intend to embody that of Tudor England (1485–1603). It claimed that its advocacy of a centralised national authoritarian state was based upon the Tudor state's hostility to party factions and to self-interested sectional interests, and upon the Tudor goal of national integration through a centralised authoritarian state.British fascists diagnose the nation as in decline and under threat.For the BUF, the fragmenting of the British Empire, rise of the labour movement, and the changes in gender roles following WWI were examples of the weaknesses of British society.The decline was blamed on liberalism and outside (usually Jewish) influences and propagandists.The fascist cure to this decline was renewal of the nation.Prominent British Fascists were Oswald Mosley,Mitford sisters Diana and Unity, the Windsors,Nancy Astor,Emmeline Pankhurst, Rotha Lintorn-Orman etc.

[Aman Reading · Rating 4 out of 5]

Norman Ridley has successfully catalogued an interesting political dimension of Britain during and prior to the Second World War. Nevertheless, the book lacks a cohesive structure beyond a loose chronology and its series of portraits, which occasionally feel uneven. For example, Ridley has a chapter on 'Archibald Maule Ramsay and the Right Club', but the majority of the chapter discusses Maxwell, an MI5 agent-runner, who infiltrated the club.

With so many interconnected names, I would have appreciated more time with each person, or a more elegant narrative that untangled the various right-wing factions and the persons involved. There also seems to me odd omissions of fact, for example, in his chapter on 'The Mitford Sisters', which focus on Diana and Unity, there is no mention of their other sisters of different political persuasions (most notably Jessica, the Communist) nor a passing mention of their brother Tom, who was also a Nazi sympathizer.

I also have issue with the inclusion of Hilaire Belloc in the chapter 'Nazi Camp Followers', which clings to a solitary piece of evidence and ignores the rest of the man's life and convictions. In addition, placing his paragraph after *A.* K. Chesterton's seems irresponsible, as Belloc had close association with *G.* K. Chesteron - that single letter possesses an enormous difference in worldviews.

Despite all of these quibbles, I found the book incredibly informative and I have no doubt that it will remain an excellent resource for historians of this period.

I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the history of Britain, Fascism, and the Second World War.

[Susan Johnston · Rating 5 out of 5]

Princess Fuzzypants here: This is an interesting book that tells the stories of a number of British Nazis, people who either liked fascism as a means to solving the problems of the world or were extremely antisemitic. Or possibly both. Much of the book focuses attention on the elite who, when dealt with by authorities, often received little more than a slap on the wrist. Those supporters of lesser social and economic standing were often treated to the full extent of the law.

It is no wonder that throughout the early 1930s there was much admiration for the Nazis. Many of the news outlets refused to tell the true story and cheered the results. They got things done and those pesky rumours of atrocities against Jews, who cares. Some even thought the Jews brought the treatment on themselves. It was only when Germany began its conquest of other countries, bloodless at first, and the calls for rearmament, that some of them, at least publicly, changed their tunes. Many, however, remained fans even past the declaration of war.

The list of conspirators is vast and reads like a who’s who of the aristocracy. Of course, it helped that one of the biggest supporters was Edward VIII. Thankfully his hubris took him off the throne before he could do the most damage. It is fascinating to watch the spider’s web of connections that link so many of these people together. I am thankful they were not able to succeed. Five purrs and two paws up.

[Vicuña · Rating 4 out of 5]

Norman Ridley’s account of British fascism is truly fascinating. His research appears to be meticulous and he really brings the issues and people to life. I was unaware of the influence of fascism on the suffragette movement. The detail about more familiar individuals, Moseley, Mitford and, of course the odious Edward and his wife, Wallis Simpson. I believe there’s little doubt that Britain would have become a very different country if Edward had remained King and there’s remarkable insight into this possibility within the detail here.

The story resonates currently with an appalling rise in anti semitism and the extent to which the two movements were so closely linked was disturbing. It’s interesting and worrying to realise that many elements of fascism remain today. Bubbling away under the surface and understanding the extent to which the roots of this controlling movement are threaded through society is quite a revelation. This is an important and interesting slice of social history. Really well presented so it’s accessible for any reader with an interest in modern history.

[Zuzu Burford · Rating 4 out of 5]

After the First World War, many nations suffered and believed that such things would never happen again, but Germany was ignored until the Nazis rebuilding the country from 1933. Those in positions of power saw the Nazis' success as a path towards establishing their own Nazi ideals that were challenging the status quo.
This book goes into detail about the people and reasons behind the risks that were simmering beneath the surface, particularly those in positions of power who desired changes and new programmes in line with fascism.
A touch bit longer than necessary for me, but still a great historic story.
An independent review thanks to NetGalley / Frontline Books

[Karl Wardlaw · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book provides an interesting history of early fascist movements and how they developed.

This book describes the various personalities involved in the fascist movement and also the personalities of those who sympathised with the movement within the major parties.