The following excerpts thoroughly document how capitalists really acted during the Second World War. Behind the patriotic propaganda that encouraged the working class to slaughter each other in the interests of competing national interests, international capital quietly kept the commodity circuits flowing and profits growing across all borders.
Major General Lord Rennell, Chief of Civil Affairs in Sicily in 1943
Credit: Imperial War Museum
When 48-year-old Francis Rodd, 2nd Lord Rennell, was appointed Chief Civil Affairs Officer of Allied occupied Sicily in 1943, he had a major bone of contention with the Americans. They had sacked all the Italian fascist officials but replaced them with local Mafia bosses. Some of the American officers were too close to the mobsters and the British administrator vowed to break their hold over the island.
It was a dangerous task, but for Rennell, who left his career in the City to explore the Sahara in his 20s, it was just another interesting challenge. During the time he was in charge of law and order on the island, he perhaps came closest to smashing the pernicious influence of the Cosa Nostra.