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The Secret War Against Hate: American Resistance to Antisemitism and White Supremacy
From the author of Pulitzer Prize finalist Hitler in Los Angeles, the definitive story of the rise and fall of hate groups in America from 1945 until the late 1970s, and of the intrepid activists and spies who brought them down.
Americans today like to believe that the end of World War II brought a decrease in hate and a new era of tolerance in the United States. Nothing could be further from the truth. Antisemitism and racism went up-not down-after the war's end. Violence broke out in cities across the country, and the number of organized hate groups more than doubled from 1940 to 1946. In this shocking account of a resurgence of white supremacy in America, celebrated historian Steven J. Ross reveals how four key leaders-Emory Burke, J. B. Stoner, James Madole, and George Lincoln Rockwell-worked together to “finish the job Hitler had begun,” launching deadly attacks on Jews and African Americans and building a network of terrorists across the U.S. In response to this “war of hate,” three New York–based men-Robert Forster of the Anti-Defamation League, George Mintzer of the American Jewish Committee, and James Sheldon of the Non-Sectarian Anti-Nazi League-along with dozens of men and women, launched a multipronged They infiltrated, monitored, and undermined these hate groups, putting their own safety on the line and scoring important victories that, today, have been all but forgotten.
Tracing the extraordinary work of these unsung heroes, The Secret War Against Hate provides a groundbreaking reconsideration of the legacy of the “Good War,” and essential reading on how America today can beat hate once again and build a just and united nation.
Americans today like to believe that the end of World War II brought a decrease in hate and a new era of tolerance in the United States. Nothing could be further from the truth. Antisemitism and racism went up-not down-after the war's end. Violence broke out in cities across the country, and the number of organized hate groups more than doubled from 1940 to 1946. In this shocking account of a resurgence of white supremacy in America, celebrated historian Steven J. Ross reveals how four key leaders-Emory Burke, J. B. Stoner, James Madole, and George Lincoln Rockwell-worked together to “finish the job Hitler had begun,” launching deadly attacks on Jews and African Americans and building a network of terrorists across the U.S. In response to this “war of hate,” three New York–based men-Robert Forster of the Anti-Defamation League, George Mintzer of the American Jewish Committee, and James Sheldon of the Non-Sectarian Anti-Nazi League-along with dozens of men and women, launched a multipronged They infiltrated, monitored, and undermined these hate groups, putting their own safety on the line and scoring important victories that, today, have been all but forgotten.
Tracing the extraordinary work of these unsung heroes, The Secret War Against Hate provides a groundbreaking reconsideration of the legacy of the “Good War,” and essential reading on how America today can beat hate once again and build a just and united nation.
416 pages, Hardcover
Published April 28, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
May 23, 2026
This is a well-researched book complete with extensive notes. The title indicates that the focus would be on the people who exhibited great courage and intelligence in spying on and becoming immersed in hate groups in the US following WWII. It exposes the extraordinary amount of activity by hate groups focused on Jews and Blacks, primarily. What seemed to be missing, and the reason I gave it 4 rather than 5 stars is that the focus seemed to be more on the members of the hate groups than on those opposing them. During these times I was very interested in reading about the good guys rather than all the corruption in the government. Still, it was well written and thorough.
May 20, 2026
An excellent book but difficult to read because of all the scary things that hate groups have done in the past. Even more disturbing are the reports of the white supremacy groups who are continuing to function today.
June 1, 2026
I had such high hopes for this book, and was quite disappointed overall. I don’t mind reading books where I may disagree with the author’s opinion. However, to represent this as nonfiction, as opposed to more of an opinion piece is disingenuous at best. I listened to the audiobook and almost stopped early on when the author attributed President Trump to the rise in the white nationalist movement (lack of capitalization intentional). However, I wanted to give it a chance and am glad I did. It was fascinating to learn about the beginnings of certain racist groups, including the fact that many had undercover Jewish spies infiltrating those groups!
However, the TDS which led the author to take President Trump’s statements in Charlottesville out of context, led me to call into question the veracity the other facts which he asserts throughout the book. President Trump is often misquoted with regard to his statement in Charlottesville by publishing a small snippet out of context, which is done here. The references to January 6th being orchestrated by President Trump were shocking, as that has since been debunked. In fact investigations by the new administration have established that many on the played a significant role in orchestrating the events. Perhaps when the contract for this book was signed, the premises which the author argues with regard to President Trump had yet to be debunked. However, once that did occur, the author should have either scrapped the anticipated second half and instead focused on horseshoe theory and the rise of hate groups on both sides of the aisle, OR negotiated with the publisher to only focus on the rise of white nationalism post WWII, despite the lower page count.
To close with Thomas Jefferson’s ideals of free education to combat threats to democracy is a bit wild when the history of free public education dates to the Industrial Revolution when Horace Mann and others sought to create compliant factory workers and not free thinkers. Jefferson may have hoped for free education for all to combat threats to democracy. However, by the time free education for all was instituted, the goals of free education were quite different from the enlightenment views of Jefferson.
While the first half of this book was eye opening with regard to the rise of white nationalism in the United States post WWII, the second half of the book attempts to shove a round peg in a square hole to prove President Trump is responsible for the recent rise in white nationalism, which leads me to call into question the veracity of the first half.
However, the TDS which led the author to take President Trump’s statements in Charlottesville out of context, led me to call into question the veracity the other facts which he asserts throughout the book. President Trump is often misquoted with regard to his statement in Charlottesville by publishing a small snippet out of context, which is done here. The references to January 6th being orchestrated by President Trump were shocking, as that has since been debunked. In fact investigations by the new administration have established that many on the played a significant role in orchestrating the events. Perhaps when the contract for this book was signed, the premises which the author argues with regard to President Trump had yet to be debunked. However, once that did occur, the author should have either scrapped the anticipated second half and instead focused on horseshoe theory and the rise of hate groups on both sides of the aisle, OR negotiated with the publisher to only focus on the rise of white nationalism post WWII, despite the lower page count.
To close with Thomas Jefferson’s ideals of free education to combat threats to democracy is a bit wild when the history of free public education dates to the Industrial Revolution when Horace Mann and others sought to create compliant factory workers and not free thinkers. Jefferson may have hoped for free education for all to combat threats to democracy. However, by the time free education for all was instituted, the goals of free education were quite different from the enlightenment views of Jefferson.
While the first half of this book was eye opening with regard to the rise of white nationalism in the United States post WWII, the second half of the book attempts to shove a round peg in a square hole to prove President Trump is responsible for the recent rise in white nationalism, which leads me to call into question the veracity of the first half.
June 17, 2026
It isn't a surprise to me that we had Nazis in the US in 1945. We have had them since the party got started in Germany. Madison Square Garden hosted thousands of American Nazis. But in this case we learn about the young Nazis who were too young to have been part of the war effort or only got in after V-E day, which meant they were involved in the Pacific Theatre.
Unite the Right was tried multiple times and perhaps it's a good thing so many of the groups suffered from the problem that every leader wanted to be the ultimate Fuhrer. They couldn't just be the supporting storm troopers.
Likewise, we read how often various government agencies were apprised of the situation with fascists but time and time again they preferred to instead deal with the Red Scare and only gave a small amount of effort to keeping young Nazis in their files.
This is a good book for noting that the Nazis have always been in the US but likewise anti-fascists have always been in the US and fighting these homegrown Nazis. Especially in a time like now where it seems like we take down one neo-nazi group only for another to pop up in its place. This happened throughout the Cold War, as well.
Because of this long history we have a choice: do we give up because of the seeming hydra or do we keep fighting because we know to do otherwise would mean the deaths of millions? When we say never again we absolutely must mean: Never Again. And those of us worried about antisemitism before October 7th were laughed at. But not anymore, are we?
And for those who continue to claim Jews are the real Nazis? We see that it's been a fascist talking point since 1945. (Not to be confused with the fact that some self-hating Jews were Cold War Neo-Nazis.) And they have done all they could to keep Jews and Black folks from working together on civil rights and equality. As soon as some realize that the Jewish and Black divide is orchestrated by White Supremacists (or at least very much watched with glee), there would be incredible cooperation and positive changes in the government.
The only problem with the book is narratively it goes back and forth, diagonally in numerous areas.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bloomsbury Publishing for the review copy.
Unite the Right was tried multiple times and perhaps it's a good thing so many of the groups suffered from the problem that every leader wanted to be the ultimate Fuhrer. They couldn't just be the supporting storm troopers.
Likewise, we read how often various government agencies were apprised of the situation with fascists but time and time again they preferred to instead deal with the Red Scare and only gave a small amount of effort to keeping young Nazis in their files.
This is a good book for noting that the Nazis have always been in the US but likewise anti-fascists have always been in the US and fighting these homegrown Nazis. Especially in a time like now where it seems like we take down one neo-nazi group only for another to pop up in its place. This happened throughout the Cold War, as well.
Because of this long history we have a choice: do we give up because of the seeming hydra or do we keep fighting because we know to do otherwise would mean the deaths of millions? When we say never again we absolutely must mean: Never Again. And those of us worried about antisemitism before October 7th were laughed at. But not anymore, are we?
And for those who continue to claim Jews are the real Nazis? We see that it's been a fascist talking point since 1945. (Not to be confused with the fact that some self-hating Jews were Cold War Neo-Nazis.) And they have done all they could to keep Jews and Black folks from working together on civil rights and equality. As soon as some realize that the Jewish and Black divide is orchestrated by White Supremacists (or at least very much watched with glee), there would be incredible cooperation and positive changes in the government.
The only problem with the book is narratively it goes back and forth, diagonally in numerous areas.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bloomsbury Publishing for the review copy.
July 4, 2026
If they were half stars, I would’ve given this 3 1/2 stars rather than three stars. It’s clearly very well researched, but it suffers from the same issue that similar books about the far right phenomenon in the United States suffer from. They focused too much on the perpetrators in terms of their biographies, rather than seeing the big picture.
In this case, the focus on the far right attempting to work across communities left out their work with Islamist antisemites and people who align with them. We can see clearly that these groups are joining together, we now have David Duke praising Mamdani and the DSA candidates. This was a huge factor in the rupture between Jews and Black people as well with the rise of Farrakhan, which gets only a small mention.
The author mentions that the ADL pulled on fighting of white supremacy, which isn’t entirely accurate. They continue to fight this while also fighting the rise of antizionism, which is a hate movement. Other groups like the southern poverty law center are focusing more on the right, taking some of the weight off the ADL.
I was hoping to learn more about how these groups declined other than the leaders dying off, and the lull between those declines and the rise of white power movements after the election of President Obama. I was also hoping to learn more about the inspiring and dangerous work that leaders within the black and Jewish community among others did to infiltrate and expose these groups.
In this case, the focus on the far right attempting to work across communities left out their work with Islamist antisemites and people who align with them. We can see clearly that these groups are joining together, we now have David Duke praising Mamdani and the DSA candidates. This was a huge factor in the rupture between Jews and Black people as well with the rise of Farrakhan, which gets only a small mention.
The author mentions that the ADL pulled on fighting of white supremacy, which isn’t entirely accurate. They continue to fight this while also fighting the rise of antizionism, which is a hate movement. Other groups like the southern poverty law center are focusing more on the right, taking some of the weight off the ADL.
I was hoping to learn more about how these groups declined other than the leaders dying off, and the lull between those declines and the rise of white power movements after the election of President Obama. I was also hoping to learn more about the inspiring and dangerous work that leaders within the black and Jewish community among others did to infiltrate and expose these groups.
May 19, 2026
Jesse Benjamin (JB) Stoner. George Lincoln Rockwell. James H. Madole. Emory Burke. Connie Lynch. Ever heard of them?
These men, their underlings and their organizations are the children of the Klan and the grandparents of The Proud Boys, The Oath Keepers, The Three Percenters and a thousand other white supremacist groups around the country.
Ross, an American historian and professor at USC, has produced a disturbing chronicle of the white supremacist movement, picking up it malevolent evolution from the early 1900's to the present. Detailed and heavily sourced, Erik Larson'esk in feel and deeply unsettling, it is the story of the Anti-Defamation League, the American Jewish Committee and the Non-Sectarian Anti-Nazi League efforts to infiltrate and spy on these organizations and their members at a time when the FBI and other law enforcement agencies not only turned a blind eye to them but in many cases were members of the organizations.
Undressing the shameful history of southern white male bigotry, he provides a glimpse into the existential threat to the America we think we know, only to reveal that what we sense today is really who we are.
Our work is cut out for us.
These men, their underlings and their organizations are the children of the Klan and the grandparents of The Proud Boys, The Oath Keepers, The Three Percenters and a thousand other white supremacist groups around the country.
Ross, an American historian and professor at USC, has produced a disturbing chronicle of the white supremacist movement, picking up it malevolent evolution from the early 1900's to the present. Detailed and heavily sourced, Erik Larson'esk in feel and deeply unsettling, it is the story of the Anti-Defamation League, the American Jewish Committee and the Non-Sectarian Anti-Nazi League efforts to infiltrate and spy on these organizations and their members at a time when the FBI and other law enforcement agencies not only turned a blind eye to them but in many cases were members of the organizations.
Undressing the shameful history of southern white male bigotry, he provides a glimpse into the existential threat to the America we think we know, only to reveal that what we sense today is really who we are.
Our work is cut out for us.
July 8, 2026
THE SECRET WAR AGAINST HATE: AMERICAN RESISTANCE TO ANTISEMITISM AND WHITE SUPREMACY by Steven J. Ross -- The title says it all. This is a well-researched, well-written history of Nazi and pro-Nazi groups in the United States from World War II to the present. Antisemitism and racism did not decrease after WWII, they increased, and this tells their terrifying story and the effect they have on our culture.
Read
June 8, 2026A difficult read!
After reading this book I felt dirty, reading about the ugliness of hate and racism.
It never ceases to amaze me that people can feel so much hatred towards the other among humans. It actually scares the hell out of me.
When can we learn to live together an appreciate our differences?
After reading this book I felt dirty, reading about the ugliness of hate and racism.
It never ceases to amaze me that people can feel so much hatred towards the other among humans. It actually scares the hell out of me.
When can we learn to live together an appreciate our differences?
June 5, 2026
A weighty ready but very well done. It surprised and bothered me that the professional narrator mispronounced as many words as he did. Most notably, swastika, which he pronounced as “swads-tika”. That seems to be a pretty basic one to nail in a book about antisemitism.
June 17, 2026
Americans today like to believe that the end of World War II brought a decrease in hate and a new era of tolerance in the United States. Nothing could be further from the truth. Antisemitism and racism went up-not down-after the war's end.
There is evil in the world.
There is evil in the world.
June 4, 2026
required reading
This is an excellent history of pro-nazi movements in the US since WWII. It is a cautionary study of antisemitism and racism in our culture.
This is an excellent history of pro-nazi movements in the US since WWII. It is a cautionary study of antisemitism and racism in our culture.
June 11, 2026
It was awful .. one everyone should read
June 11, 2026
Difficult to read-not because of how it is written-but because of the subject matter the author covers. Very good insights as to why we are so divided as a nation.
July 2, 2026
I had to slip to the Epilogue to really get where this book was headed. Read it & see what I mean.
July 7, 2026
I read this via Whispersync and I did not like the narration, it may as well have been virtual voice. Go for the print/kindle version if you want to read this book.
July 10, 2026
This was the most frightening book I've ever read. It should be required reading for anyone who believes he or she is a well- educated person.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews