This is a thorough book. Contrary to what the critics on this page have written, the book includes: (1) Interviews with catholic priets directly involved with smuggling Nazi collaborators (2) Intelligence documents from France, the US, British and Russia (3) Media reports from Italy and other places at the time (4) interviews with some of those who were smuggled through the Vaticans 'Ratline', and of course photos and miscellaneous personal testimony from others involved or affected. In other words, the authors bring an enormous amount of evidence to bear on the issue of Vatican complicity in helping war criminals escape from justice.

The other critics on this page, it seems, have either not read the book, are talking about another book, or believe that the Vatican is mankinds sole connection to God or whatever and can do no wrong.

The critics charge that the Vatican was pro-communist is ludicrous. Communist persecution of Catholics behind the Iron curtain was a principle motivation for the Vatican to protect ex-Nazis. See, the Nazis hated the Communists as well. The vatican and the Pope desperately wanted to stop the eastward expansion of the communists. So they turned to ex-Nazi leaders (who still had connections, military equipment and money) for help. That is a key part of the story (theres more to it, though).

Even so, the Vatican was not a monolithic entity. There were elements within the church that hated the Nazis, and elements that supported them (most notably the Catholic priests connected to the Pavelic regime). Like any large organization, different people had different opinions. But the evidence is very strong that the highest levels of the Vatican supported helping ex-Nazis. US intelligence infiltrated the Vatican and reported that known war criminals were hiding in the vatican, where they had diplomatic immunity.

I would not give the book 5 stars, however, because it is not well organized. Some of the writing is confusing. The information is extremely somplex, since it relates many events involving different people at different places. Its a very complicated story thats difficult to tell.

One mor thing: if the Vatican is so virtuous and infalliable, then why are they still refusing to reveal what they know about the 'Ratlines'? Why are they refusing to provide public access to their internal documents of the period? Methinks they have something to hide.

So buy this book. It is a revealing story about power politics behind-the-scenes. To simply deny the evidence is naive.

I read the authors book "The Secret War Against the Jews" and had to have this one. In the controversy of today about whether or not the Vatican really helped jews during the Holocaust, this book should set the record straight. The Vatican has no morals whatsoever. Its nothing but the worlds largest tax exempt business. A few years back the 60 Minutes program did a story on how the CIA helped nazis escape all in the name of stopping communisms spread. Well they did a pretty poor job as all of eastern Europe fell under Soviet domination. this book fills in the the whole story on Vatican/CIA collaboration with Nazis. The worse item i read in this book was about the Croatian Priest Dragonovich. He and the Utashe were brutal. They murdered Serbs, Jews and Gypsies in the most horrific way. This priest was then honored by the Vatican. The Vaticans now infamous "Ratline" helped thousands of Nazis escape to South America. To this day, the Vatican will not release their records from WW2. Could it be that the reason why the Pope has been so "nice" to Jews for the past 20 years is because if the Vatican does fully release the WW2 records, then he will spared any criticism??? The book also tells how Ukranian Catholics were more than nice enough to volunteer for an SS unit and they killed thousands of jews. The Vatican is an organization thats need to be torn down.

First published in Britain under the title Ratlines in 1991, and in the United States the following year under the title Unholy Trinity: the Vatican, the Nazis and Soviet Intellegence, the current revised edition of the book replaces "Soviet Intellegence" in the subtitle with the Swiss Banks." This latest title change reflects the recent direction of the international investigations into the Vatican's role in WWII. The bulk of the book (Chapters 1-12) remains unchanged from earlier editions. The authors have, however, added an introduction and a new chapter of revised conclusions

Using previously classified government documents, the authors give the most detailed account in print of the Catholic Church's collaboration in the smuggling of Fascist and Nazi war criminals out of Europe at the end of the Second World War. Officials at the Vatican who helped these men get false papers and safe passage included then Monsignor Montini (later Paul VI) and Bishop Hudal, author of the clero-fascist Foundations of National Socialism. Among those who thus escaped justice, at least temporarily, were Adolph Eichmann, chief administrator of the holocaust, Walter Rauff, director of the mobile gas truck extermination program, Franz Strangel, Commandant at Treblinka, and Ante Pavelic, fascist Croatian dictator. Many other ex-Nazis were recruited by the church to become "freedom fighters" against the Eastern bloc. Aarons and Loftus argue Vatican's primary motivation throughout this operation was an anti-communism so fanatical that it knew no moral limits. The second half of the book recounts how the church's smuggling operation was infiltrated and turned against the West by the Soviet Union. Although the authors' analysis of the motivations and culpability some of the figures involved can be questioned (most notably their exoneration of Pius XII on charges of complicity with the Nazis in the rise of fascism), this book remains a remarkable history of a little known dark chapter in modern church history.

In their introduction to the new edition, Loftus and Aarons detail how some of their original investigative work led to the capture and arrest of Erich Priebke, the SS officer who directed the infamous massacre at the Ardeantine Caves near Rome. Priebke had escaped through the Vatican Ratlines to Argentina and was sheltered by the church even during his 1997-1998 trials. The authors also point out some of the connections between their investigations and the ongoing highly-publicized attempts to trace the Nazi gold held in Swiss banks. More detail on this is given in their revised conclusion (ch 13) in which they suggest that financial motives may have been as important a motive in the Vatican's decision to establish the Ratlines as anti-communism. The Vatican invested the $29 million cash settlement that it received from Mussolini as part of the deal for the Concordat in Germany. During the 1930s, it attempted to protect that growing investment against the looming international conflict by setting up a money laundering scheme which involved secret exchange protocols between the Vatican Bank and banks in Switzerland. Recognising this, the authors have moved fairly far away from the conclusion of their original edition that the Vatican was not involved on the build up of fascism in Germany. In fact they now even cite a passage from La Popessa which claims that Pacelli (later Pius XII) gave money to Hitler in 1919 to suggest early links between the Nazis and the Vatican.

This book investigates the deaths of three people inside the Vatican in 1998. The official story is that a Swiss Guardsman murdered his commander and the commander's wife after the Guardsmen was angered by his not receiving an expected medal. The author investigates the story at the behest of the Guardsmen's mother and out of his belief that the Vatican is not telling all that it knows.

However, the book tends to be more an indictment of the Vatican and its traditions than a true investigation into the deaths. Also, the author cites much evidence for which he has nothing more than unnamed sources. Specifically, he states that he believes the murders were the result of a homosexual love tryst gone bad that the Vatican wished to cover up. However, he cites no evidence to bolster this theory.

Until new evidence is brought forth, it will have to be assumed that these murders occurred due to the reasons the Vatican has stated. And this book does not introduce any new evidence and leaves the reader without any sense of a firm conclusion.

ALTHOUGH THE BOOK I THINK DOES NOT FINALIZE THE CONCLUSION, I FOUND THE METHODS THE AUTHOR TRIED TO PASTE TOGETHER THE BITS AND PIECES OF TRUTH OR INFORMATION WELL WORTH THE READ. IN THE END I THINK THE BOOK ANALYZES THE CHURCH MORE THAN IT SHOULD BUT THEN AGAIN WHY NOT?

The strength of John Follain's book, based on his four-year investigation, is that we end up with a firm understanding of why Tornay did it. City of Secrets is both superb journalism and an outstanding example of forensic psychology.
Secondhand investigations of sensational crimes are often nothing more than instant books. However, Follain not only took the time to contribute something of worth to the canon of crime journalism but also exposed weaknesses in the Vatican that need addressing. In this case it is the fact that the Swiss Guard, supposedly responsible for protecting the Pope, are nothing more than toy soldiers -- Dennis Chute, The Edmonton Journal

While considering what is alleged in this book, consider the some of histories greatest thinkers and documents who have contributed to making this country great. And to those living abroad, consider your own histories; for if you enjoy any of the freedoms mentioned in Article 1 of the Bill of Rights, of the Constitution of the United States of America, it's probably because Freemasons put them there for everyone's benefit, including your own.

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances."

Such are the thoughts and words of great men, who in addition to being among the first Americans, also included a a number of Freemasons. Freemasonry enshrines many principles, including those you see above, in symbols, words, and deeds. And isn't nteresting to find many historical documents that form the foundation of our great country, imbued with the thought and attitudes common among Freemasons?

It is therefore not surprising to find Freemasons struggling as private individual citizens to offer heretical and revolutionary ideas to the world, such as that the individual rights of man are not just on equal footing with the divine right of kings but over them and beyond them. Some of you may not know this, but 250 years ago, or so, actually believing that men should be free and not chattle of a monarch, or of a state, or of a governing religious figure, was considered "out there", and grounds for arrest or execution.

Is it any surprise then, to find Freemasons struggling in their private lives as citizens to guarantee religious freedom in this country, during it's founding, and in most countries throughout the world. Freemasons helped make it possible for you not to be compelled or forced to worship as the state or a monarch would require you to do. Why? Because Freemasonry, leading by example, has practiced religious tolerance for as long as anyone can remember in it's lodges.

Consider the following words from the Declaration of Independence:

'We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.' --

These words came from the pen of Thomas Jefferson, who was an American President, a statesman, and a Freemason. (Additionally, most of the founding fathers and statesmen of the time, included a number of Freemasons as well).

So here's a more appropriate expose: Before drawing any conclusions about Freemasons, please consider that your ability to do so freely, safe and secure in the home that you own, or surrounded by the property you own, with the freedom to say as you wish, and believe as you wish, with many laws in place to gaurantee them, that many of those freedoms and laws are there for you because ordinary Americans, who also happen to be Freemasons, helped make it that way. And they did so without thought of reward, or regard for their personal safety, in many cases.

A penetrating exposure of abuses of freemasonry in England which was made possible by the members of "The Brotherhood" who shared the authors concerns. This book was a catalyst for the sweeping changes in English freemasonry as the oldest Grand Lodge in the world was forced to go public to clean up its act.

To the gentlemen from Miami, Fl

How ironic that you hold these founding fathers and freemasons in high esteem. True they wrote great documents and completed great works. But, all the while as Masons and so call Christians, they had no problem enslaving African Americans and people of African decent. "All men are created Equal..."

Save your money!! This is the most superficial book on complex subject of the history of U.S.-Vatican relations ever written! Without the slightest doubt, a High School senior would have done a better job on both the subject matter - and on the prose! In effect, from the author's own admission, it would seem that he did not take a step in the diplomatic field without first consultling his spouse. In addition, he seems to have had her accompany him to most of his major diplomatic meetings! Let us hope Ambassador L. Boggs will do a better job describing her mission at a key U. S. diplomatic post at the end of her tenure in Rome!

I found this book to be an enjoyable easy read! Ambassador Melady is a deep and interesting author. My only complaint is that i felt there was more to the story that he may not have been aloud to say! As a politically apointed Ambassador he seemed to really work for what he believed in! He is an insperation.

. . . with similar kooky titles suggesting that the Queen of England is the world's greatest drug dealer!

This volume, suggesting an international conspiricy between the Vatican, Moscow, and Washington, DC, is fanatical, hysterical, irrational and, since the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991, hopelessly dated (not to mention, proven wrong!)

Avro Manhattan is perhaps one of the foremost political insiders on Vatican politics. This book presents a concised history of how the politics of the Vatican allow it to survive and thrive in today's climate. Tha author presents very convincing points which illustrate the future goals of Vatican politics. I highly recommend to everyone.

This book is a disturbing account of the way in which those employed by the Catholic Church are treated when suspected of disloyalty to the Magisterium of the Church. To put it bluntly in the introduction, it is disturbing for those who are familiar with secular court cases to know how ecclesiastical systems work.

The defendant has no right of appeal and is rarely able to present a coherent case - even if they do, those within the Vatican itself have to assess it. Lest anybody whatsoever think this will change in the future, the inquisitorial attitude of the Wojtyla papacy is certain to continue throughout the 21st century as the Catholic Church moves toward a smaller, but much more loyal, membership.

Of themselves, the accounts are by no means anything special, but do offer a reasonable degree of understanding. For those who know nothing about the Vatican, those involved must be described as the last generation of speculative theologians the Catholic Church will ever see, with diasgreements involved on such issue as papal power and female ordination.

The book is reasonable, clear, if disturbing, but it leaves one with a feeling of lacking an understanding of why the Vatican feels so concerned about its own power, and especially about those (believe it or not, mostly laity) who report such deviations in doctrine to the Vatican.

A worthy read if you do not have fear, but for those with any knowledge of the Vatican, superfluous.

In 1580 Pope Gregory XIII commissioned this gallery with 42 large panels that represent Italy. Maps on the right side show the Adriatic side of the peninsula; those on the left side show the Tyrrhenian and Ligurian coasts. The quality of the paper and reproductions is excellent. Each map is discussed, and close-ups show the art and craft of the cartographers and artists. The author claims that this is the largest cycle of geographic images in Europe. This is a book to linger with; no matter your nationality, it may make you homesick.

Fr. Morrissey's line of reasoning is as follows: 1. Some members of the Church hierarchy have, in the past, censored orthodox Catholics who were later vindicated (e.g., St. Bernadette). 2. Some members of today's hierarchy, including some in Rome, persecute orthodox Catholics while not censoring vocally dissident Catholics. (He does not name names.) 3. These prudentially erroneous members of the hierarchy succumb to the temptations of diplomacy (trying to placate all) and cliquishness (listening only to their own clique). 4. In so succumbing, they have undermined, for example, the anti-abortion efforts of Catholics by not excommunicating abortion advocates, not fighting abortion vigorously and visibly, and not insisting that every parish fight abortion vigorously and visibly. 5. They have ignored the evidence that politicians respond to pressure such as the Church might bring to bear. 6. They have ignored the warnings of Our Blessed Mother, in her approved apparitions, concerning the great spiritual danger of dissent. 7. They have ignored the offers of Our Blessed Mother, in her approved apparitions, for help in response to devotion to her. 8. Orthodox Catholics should pressure their bishops to be orthodox and foster orthodox teachings, but must always be obedient to their priests and bishops, bearing the cross that is thereby laid on them.

This reasoning is supported by excerpts from the writings of Msgr George Kelly, Cardinal Ratzinger, and Cardinal O'Connor, and an extensive excerpt from Ellen McCormack, a leader in the Right-to-Life Movement. Because neither Fr. Morrissey (a pseudonym) nor his citations give the names of the errant members of the hierarchy, the reader does not have the opportunity of debate with Father nor verify his characterization. For example, the reader would like to learn why the Church does not recognize many more of the Marian apparitions and why the Church tolerates so much dissent. The lack of names and references results in my rating this only three stars.

Father Morrissey definitely advocates writing letters to your slack priests and bishops and to politicians; however, he thinks that individual letters are significantly less effective than those from organized groups. Those priests and bishops who try to placate all are especially vulnerable to pressure groups.

To his credit, Fogel has taken the time to research and check his facts about conditions in the California Missions. Though I think he rejects the excellent work of population biologist Sherburne Cooke too handily, he has backed his points with facts. What let me down is the last chapter of this book which he uses as a platform for his views on several unrelated, contemporary issues including the place of gay Catholics in the Church, ordination of Women, etc. This had no place in a work of history, especially when tied only to the rest of the content by the author's dislike of the Catholic Church.

I thought that this was the worst book ever written. I mean it did have some good parts but mainly it was garbage. If you want to have some good Stone Temple Pilots then get the cds...not the book