Prequel: An American Fight Against Fascism

In 1939, Warner Bros. released Confessions of a Nazi Spy, a movie based on true events that had transpired just months before: In late 1938, four German Americans were charged with spying on US military installations and defense contractors.

In the lead-up to the film’s release, Warner Bros. faced difficulties in getting it past the censorship of the Production Code Administration (PCA). The Los Angeles German consulate had heavily lobbied the PCA to block any films containing anti-Nazi sentiments.

Jack and Harry Warner, who were Jewish Americans, fought to get the film made and released. They made various concessions, including a major one: They omitted all mentions of Jewish people and antisemitism. Nevertheless, the film became popular and made US citizens aware of Nazi attempts to infiltrate the US.

After Father Coughlin’s failed bid to influence the 1936 presidential election, his prominence declined. By 1938, he had decided to lean into extreme antisemitism in order to fuel his political rise. He had widespread influence; he reached a quarter of the US population every week through his radio sermons. He headed an organization called the Christian Front, rallying people around his antisemitic views.