Steven J. Ross (Hitler in Los Angeles), a distinguished professor of history at the University of Southern California, couldn't be more timely in charting the evolution of organized bigotry and fascism in the United States, from the end of the Second World War up to the uncomfortable present day. The Secret War Against Hate is a reminder that the forces of antisemitism and white supremacy were not defeated along with the Axis powers at the end of World War II. Ross's words vibrate with a visceral urgency, shattering the myth of postwar domestic tranquility and providing a necessary roadmap for anyone seeking to understand the resurgence of those virulent ideologies. His utterly immersive work begins with the postwar surge in extremism, and as the narrative moves into the 1950s, Ross describes the rise of the American Nazi Party, illustrating how hate groups capitalized on the anxieties of the Cold War and the Civil Rights movement. For every villain, Ross also celebrates a corresponding little-known hero or group. He demonstrates how the tactics of these early resistance networks formed a blueprint for modern anti-hate advocacy, and champions the clandestine efforts to infiltrate and dismantle cells from within.
Ross leaves readers with the message that democracy is not a self-sustaining experiment. This book is a crucial read for historians, policy makers, and civil rights activists, but it is equally vital for any citizen concerned with polarized politics and civic abuses. Ross provides the historical literacy necessary to recognize old threats in new disguises, making The Secret War Against Hate an indispensable manual for safeguarding the future by understanding threats from the past. --Elizabeth DeNoma, executive editor, DeNoma Literary Services, Seattle, Wash.