The runaway #1 New York Times bestseller 'A ripping read. . . . The parallels to the present
day are strong even startling' New York Times 'A chilling history lesson... Vivid urgent
smart' Washington Post As Hitler's ascendancy began to make a Second World War inevitable a
clandestine network flooded the United States with disinformation aimed at sapping the strength
of its war effort and persuading Americans that their natural alliance was with the Nazis. It
was a sophisticated and shockingly well-funded campaign to undermine democratic institutions
promote antisemitism and destroy citizens' confidence in their elected leaders with the
ultimate goal of overthrowing the US government and installing authoritarian rule. Some of the
country's most influential elected officials including senators and members of Congress
worked to disseminate Nazi talking points while fascist paramilitaries stockpiled bombs and
weapons in preparation for violent insurrection. Prequel unearths the forgotten story of
these insurrectionists as well as the heroic efforts of the journalists prosecutors and
regular citizens who sought to expose their plot and bring them to justice. Deeply researched
the story of how the crisis was averted is also a deeply relevant tale for our own disquieting
times.
