ObjectiveObjective

The objective of this presentation is to The objective of this presentation is to further enlighten the American public in the further enlighten the American public in the matters concerning the Sicilian Mafia and matters concerning the Sicilian Mafia and the United States Military during World the United States Military during World War Two.War Two.

• By the 1920s Lucky Luciano had become one of the biggest crime bosses in New York City.

• He was responsible for modernizing the Mafia by organizing it and running it smoothly.

• Luciano successfully implemented a system with 24 major family bosses

• This national crime syndicate controlled most of the country’s bootlegging, numbers, narcotics, prostitution, the waterfront, the unions, food marts, bakeries and garment trade

• They also were able to infiltrate and corrupt legitimate business’, politics and law enforcement.

• In 1935, a man by the name of Thomas E. Dewey was given the job of special prosecutor in New York City.

• His main target was Luciano and referred to him as, "the czar of organized crime in this city."

• Lucky Luciano was eventually found guilty on 62 counts and was sentenced to 30-50 years in jail.

Attack on US WatersAttack on US Waters• Shortly after the Pearl Shortly after the Pearl

Harbor attack, German Harbor attack, German U-boats (submarines) U-boats (submarines) began sinking US began sinking US merchant ships right off merchant ships right off the US coast line.the US coast line.

• The French liner, The French liner, Normandie,Normandie, that was that was being turned into a being turned into a troop ship was then troop ship was then mysteriously sunk in mysteriously sunk in the Hudson River.the Hudson River.

• These incidences These incidences created fears of created fears of sabotage, and it was sabotage, and it was believed that the believed that the Germans were acquiring Germans were acquiring information from Nazi information from Nazi sympathizers in the USsympathizers in the US

Lucky Gets LuckyLucky Gets Lucky• The US naval The US naval

intelligence soon intelligence soon turned to Luciano for turned to Luciano for help in preventing help in preventing these attacks.these attacks.

• They agreed to They agreed to shorten Luciano’s shorten Luciano’s prison sentence, on prison sentence, on the conditions that the conditions that Luciano’s men would Luciano’s men would aid the US in aid the US in acquiring information acquiring information on German spies, and on German spies, and that Luciano would that Luciano would return to Italy once return to Italy once the Hostilities in the Hostilities in Europe had ended.Europe had ended.

• Luciano’s men consisted of dockworkers, fishermen, and hoodlums and became the backbone of US Naval intellegence.

• Luciano gave the word to his men to cooperate with the US officials, and eight German spies were soon captured, all of which had landed by U-boat.

• Explosives, maps, and blueprints for sabotage were also seized.

The US soon began to plan an invasion of Italy.

However, they needed intelligence, such as German troop movements, for the invasion of Sicily.

They once again turned to Luciano for help.

Scratchin’ Each Other's Backs

• Though the US was trying to win the war, the mob over in Italy had their own motives for aiding in the invasion of Sicily.

• The mob realized that peace in Italy needed to be restored in order for “business” to keep running smoothly, and the only way to do that was to get the Nazi’s out of Italy.

• “Boss of the Bosses”

• Undisputed Mafia Boss of Sicily

• Banned from Sicily after the rise of Mussolini, returning in 1937 to his town of Villalba

• Supported the Allies during the Invasion of Sicily

Invasion of Sicily

• On July 9On July 9thth, 1943, General George , 1943, General George Patton and the Allied troops landed Patton and the Allied troops landed on the shore of Sicilyon the shore of Sicily

• Amazingly, during their four day Amazingly, during their four day march to the city of Palermo, Italian march to the city of Palermo, Italian troops offered no resistance to the troops offered no resistance to the Allied troopsAllied troops

Mafia Helping OutMafia Helping Out Once in Sicily, American Once in Sicily, American

troops made contact with troops made contact with Calogero VizziniCalogero Vizzini

He traveled with the He traveled with the American troops, showing American troops, showing the Mafia’s support of the the Mafia’s support of the AlliesAllies

Vizzini and fellow Mafia Vizzini and fellow Mafia members protected the members protected the roads from snipers, roads from snipers, arranged welcomes for the arranged welcomes for the advancing troops, and advancing troops, and provided guides through provided guides through the confusing mountain the confusing mountain terrain. terrain.

Calogero’s Reward

• After the U.S. invaded Sicily, The Civil Affairs Control Office of the U.S. Army appointed Don Calogero the mayor of his hometown, Villalba