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Blackshirts: Fascism in Britain
Excellent Book
- GenresHistory
160 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1971
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June 17, 2022
Anyone who has any knowledge of WWII knows the important role played by Britain during that war, but did they know about the British Fascists? BLACKSHIRTS: FASCISM IN BRITAIN covers the fascist movements in Britain during the 1920's and 30's. Fascism during that period was popular in many circles, and the British Union of Fascists (BUF) were not alone. There were the Rexists in Belgium and the Croix de Feu in France. Just what was it that made fascism so appealing?
To the British, it was a patriotic movement that supported the King and country, which translated into empire. To some, it was an alternative to 'bureaucratic paper-shufflers' who never got anything done. To some, their stance on finding jobs and finding employment. For some, it was the chance to strut around in uniforms and bust heads. And of course there was what some saw as the Jewish threat.
Hatred of the Jews came to figure largely in their agenda as time went by when all else failed, and this wasn't just because of Hitler. The hatred and pogroms had sprung up throughout Europe over the centuries and it was still lying dormant at the time. Bare in mind this was before the Nazi 'Final Solution' came about. There was never any mention of genocide but rather halting immigration or deportation. It wouldn't have been the first time the British deported those thought undesirable. Being as Jewish immigrants from eastern Europe naturally congregated in their own communities, it was easy to point them out versus Jews that had assimilated into the population. Communists were their other main enemy, and being as it was hard to point them out they simply lumped the two together.
The man who came to be recognized as the 'Fuhrer' of the BUF was Sir Oswald Mosley. As a rich young man he had a very promising political career. At one point it was rumored that he was considered for the posts of First Lord of the Admiralty or Foreign Secretary. Becoming frustrated with the politics he saw, and having delusions of grandeur, he decided to go out on his own. He joined one of the fascist groups and eventually organized the BUF and styled himself as another Hitler. Taking guidance from Germany and Italy, the BUF had their own uniforms, barracks, motorpools, and most importantly their protection squads, referred to as 'stewards.'
Several prominent people joined or supported the fascists. Unity Mitford, Mosley's sister-in-law, gave support, as did Lord Rothermere, the press baron. I was surprised to learn that Major-General J F C Fuller, a military historian and tank expert who was often quoted in books, was pro-fascist. William Joyce, later known as the treasonous 'Lord Haw-Haw,' was another.
Mosley was a motivational speaker and understood the magic of Hitler's mass meetings. Everything was choreographed to inflame the emotions of those attending. The Communists understood this as well and would send individuals to cause interruptions. The excesses in the brawls between the Blackshirt stewards and those infiltrators trying to upset the meetings turned many of the population against them, as did the fascists accosting innocent Jews on the street.
Due to the political and social circumstances of the time, the fascists never developed the mass appeal as in Italy and Germany. With the coming of the war and the passing of certain laws, the BUF just sort of faded away.
This book, though dated, is an excellent introduction to the subject. As with other books in the series, it is loaded with photos and even a few maps.
Being as the BUF tried so hard to keep Britain out of the war, one can only imagine how different things might have been had they succeeded.
To the British, it was a patriotic movement that supported the King and country, which translated into empire. To some, it was an alternative to 'bureaucratic paper-shufflers' who never got anything done. To some, their stance on finding jobs and finding employment. For some, it was the chance to strut around in uniforms and bust heads. And of course there was what some saw as the Jewish threat.
Hatred of the Jews came to figure largely in their agenda as time went by when all else failed, and this wasn't just because of Hitler. The hatred and pogroms had sprung up throughout Europe over the centuries and it was still lying dormant at the time. Bare in mind this was before the Nazi 'Final Solution' came about. There was never any mention of genocide but rather halting immigration or deportation. It wouldn't have been the first time the British deported those thought undesirable. Being as Jewish immigrants from eastern Europe naturally congregated in their own communities, it was easy to point them out versus Jews that had assimilated into the population. Communists were their other main enemy, and being as it was hard to point them out they simply lumped the two together.
The man who came to be recognized as the 'Fuhrer' of the BUF was Sir Oswald Mosley. As a rich young man he had a very promising political career. At one point it was rumored that he was considered for the posts of First Lord of the Admiralty or Foreign Secretary. Becoming frustrated with the politics he saw, and having delusions of grandeur, he decided to go out on his own. He joined one of the fascist groups and eventually organized the BUF and styled himself as another Hitler. Taking guidance from Germany and Italy, the BUF had their own uniforms, barracks, motorpools, and most importantly their protection squads, referred to as 'stewards.'
Several prominent people joined or supported the fascists. Unity Mitford, Mosley's sister-in-law, gave support, as did Lord Rothermere, the press baron. I was surprised to learn that Major-General J F C Fuller, a military historian and tank expert who was often quoted in books, was pro-fascist. William Joyce, later known as the treasonous 'Lord Haw-Haw,' was another.
Mosley was a motivational speaker and understood the magic of Hitler's mass meetings. Everything was choreographed to inflame the emotions of those attending. The Communists understood this as well and would send individuals to cause interruptions. The excesses in the brawls between the Blackshirt stewards and those infiltrators trying to upset the meetings turned many of the population against them, as did the fascists accosting innocent Jews on the street.
Due to the political and social circumstances of the time, the fascists never developed the mass appeal as in Italy and Germany. With the coming of the war and the passing of certain laws, the BUF just sort of faded away.
This book, though dated, is an excellent introduction to the subject. As with other books in the series, it is loaded with photos and even a few maps.
Being as the BUF tried so hard to keep Britain out of the war, one can only imagine how different things might have been had they succeeded.
September 19, 2025
Could Britain have gone fascist in the Thirties? British fascism was the creation of one man, Sir Oswald Mosley, ex-Tory, ex-Labourite, and admirer of all things Hitler and Mussolini. There was the rub. Dressing up in black and beings called "Leader" by his goons made Sir Oswald, a gifted economist and even more gifted speaker, look like an idiot. Congratulatory telegrams to Julius Streicher didn't help either. It's all here in one slim and illustrated volume, from those heady early days of marching in front of thousands of Blackshirts in East London to that terrible night at Olympia when beating up anti-fascist protestors made all of Britain squirm. British fascism died before the war and Sir Oswald's imprisonment, a victim of Mosley's megalomania and worse tact.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews