L.A. Kauffman – Episode 116

This week Eric welcomes to the show author and academic Bradley Hart to discuss his important new book “Hitler’s American Friends: The Third Reich’s Supporters in the United States” and the contemporary events it informs. The conversation begins with a discussion of some of the findings in the book regarding pro-Nazi sentiment in the US during the 1930s, how it manifested, and who/what was behind it. From there, Eric and Bradley discuss everything from the discourse of isolationism to the clear parallels between Nazi race laws and their Jim Crow models, as well as other similarities between the two countries. The second half of the discussion focuses on politics in the Age of Trump, and how understanding pro-fascist sentiment in the US historically informs our understanding of the rise of fascism today. How does Big Capital fit in? What was the role of communism and trade unions in fighting fascism in America? These and so many other questions all addressed in this wide-ranging discussion.

Music: Devendra Banhart – “Heard Somebody Say”

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