It was just before World War II in the late 1930s and gangsters in New York City were as well-known as ball players and politicians. But many people today may not know about the role one infamous Jewish mobster played in fighting fascism in the five boroughs.
There were scuffles and fights with protestors, but also open support of Hitler from sympathizers in the city, endorsing a rise of fascism in Europe.
His new book is called Gangsters vs. Nazis: How Jewish mobsters battled Nazis in wartime America. It's the story of another battle unfolding on the streets of New York and cities across the country as the war raged in Europe. In Benson's new book he details the efforts of a New York City Judge named Nathan Perlman, who recruited infamous Jewish Gangster Mayer Lansky.The judge and Lansky reached a deal - the gangster could rough up the fascists and as long as he promised not to kill anyone, the law would look the other way.
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