Here are brief passages from Carlson’s book, “Under Cover”,  copyright 1943, which featured the birth of Detroit fascism. These passages are owned by the publisher and are part of a review shared for public awareness (go to the full review).

In addition to the Detroit chapter of the book, Detroit is also covered as both a target and an accomplice within the National Workers League (NWL) which has two dedicated chapters. Across these chapters, Carlson reveals how labor organizing on a racial basis was a Nazi investment  to undermine American democracy, and particularly to thwart the wartime manufacturing effort. Henry Ford is recognized for publishing a series of articles in his hometown newspaper, the Dearborn Independent, that claimed a Jewish conspiracy was infecting America. All this came under the broad banner of National Socialism, had direct ties with German Nazis, and equated Jews with Communism.

Father Coughlin was first brought up in in the book in context of a 1939 German American Bund meeting that Carlson attended in NYC, where George Washington was called out as the first American fascist. Twelve hundred 1200 brown shirts saluted and cheered equally the names of Hitler,  Father Coughlin, Mussolini, and Franco. Coughlin did his piece with impunity, from the National Shrine of the Little Flower. Detroit fascism was in full operation.

Return to the full review.