What was the Mafia's role in World War 2?

Answer 1

Aside from running blackmarkets the only reference I see is that the U.S. Navy made contact with the Mafia in 1942. The Navy wanted to make sure that convoy information was not being passed to the Axis through Italian agents and the mafia, being in control of the waterfront, had connection to find out. Many years ago I read that before we invaded Sicily (main location of the Mafia) we contacted a Mafia leader seeking information that would help us in the coming invations of that Island. John Not only were Nazi spies working the docks in New York for information they were also organizing strikes with the workers. Since Charles "Lucky" Luciano ran the docks for the mafia "Wild" Bill Donovan of the OSS contacted Myer Lansky to incorporate his help, since Luciano was in jail on a weapons charge. A deal was struck were Luciano would be deported after the war was over and not face other charges in exchange for the unions not going on strike. It is said that for his part in the deal Myer Lansky was given a Bronze Star, however under the table. Adding my own opinion: Nothing the mafia ever did was Patriotic. You would think that Myer Lansky being a Polish Jew would have done as much as he could for the war effort, but as with all organized crime it is all about the money. It would not surprise me to find that the Mafia organized the strikes with the spies to extort money or favors from the government. Where can we benifit the most type attitude. And of course the Mafia on Italy wanted the Allies to land, Nazis were bad for business.