Prior to the invasion of Sicily during WWII, the United States government released the notorious Lucky Luciano on the belief that he would help the Allied cause prior to the actual invasion and with the administration of the island after it’s conquest.  The result of that action was a rejuvenation of the Mafia which had suffered but not been eliminated under the rule of Mussolini.

Lewis who had been stationed in Sicily and had access to court files about the Mafia, certainly strips away any glamour of the organization and show it to be medieval in its rule and pillaging of Sicily.  The local “Dons” hold complete power of life and death over the peasants and the central government of Italy is merely a milk cow to be used to feed the power of the Mafia.  During one of the conferences between the Dons, one suggested that the peasants not be allowed to have any metal plows, that they should use the same type of farm implements as was used in ancient Roman times; they did not need pants and shirts as they could wear simple smocks of the most primitive type and be fed on a diet of gruel just as the Roman legionnaires had been two thousand years ago.

Added to the exploitation of the peasants were the murderous vendettas which in the village of Corleone (yes, there is such a place), 153 Mafia murders took place between 1944-48.  Many of the murdered simply disappeared into the deep gullies around the island while others were left as a warning to others. 

With the end of the war, thanks to the American army and Luciano, the Mafia was given prime administrative jobs as since they were the enemy of Mussolini they could not be all bad.  The result was a rapid filling of the Mafia’s coffers from construction projects in the middle of nowhere, land grabs and massive building reconstruction in the major cities.  Poor workmanship and siting did not matter as any legit business was quickly silenced.  All this while the Dons dreamed of getting U.S. statehood for Sicily!

In the end, over 10% of the population left the island, many to the U.S., many to South America and many to Northern Italy where, freed from the Mafia, they joined the Communist party and fueled the Italian political unrest which still simmers today.

An excellent book which shows the brutality and venality of an organization which only cared for their own to the cost of everyone else.  No saving grace, only corruption. It also shows the short sightedness of government agencies who somehow manage to operate in ignorance of those they use for short-term goals.