Patriots and Mobsters: The Alliance Between the Mafia and Gov't During WWII FLEX

This class will look closely at Charles 'Lucky' Luciano, his group of mobsters, and the unlikely alliance that was forged between them and the United States government during World War II.  Although the two groups had very different interests, they were both motivated to cooperate during World War II.  What led them to cooperation?  How long did it last? 
This is a FLEX course that will last for four weeks.  

Week One will cover the rise of the Mafia, its organizational structure, the rise of Charles 'Lucky' Luciano, and the various motivations of the Mafia for assisting the US government during World War II.

Week Two will discuss the United States government's relationship with the Mafia leading up to World War II, and what drew them into cooperation with the organized crime syndicate.  
 
Week Three will look at the actions that the Mafia took to assist the United States government during World War II, with a focus on the docks of New York, and the Allied invasion of Sicily.  

Week Four of this course will examine what occurred between the government and the Mafia in the immediate post-war period.  Did the two continue to cooperate as necessary, or was the status quo of anti-Mafia sentiment restored?  

This class will provide one weekly video lesson, various discussion topics posted in the Classroom, and one hour per week of scheduled 'Office Hours' where the instructor will be available for any questions or discussion of the provided content.