Did Mussolini really exchange art for money from U.S. businessmen?
Whether Mussolini actually traded classical artworks for money and supplies to aid his war machine is not known for certain. However, during 1938-40 American businessmen not only openly praised fascist endeavors in Europe, but also sent large amounts of money and supplies to Mussolini, as well as Hitler. These companies included Sears Roebuck, Quaker Oats, Ford Motor Company, Texaco and many others. American business interests also organized committees and organizations to help support Mussolini and Hitler, such as the America First Committee. High profile business leaders such as Henry Ford as well as Thomas Watson of IBM received Nazi medals. Hearst’s newspaper empire syndicated Sarfatti’s columns that sought to win public opinion over to Mussolini’s efforts to “build a new Rome,” while other businessmen wrote ultra-rightwing tracts, such as Henry Ford’s infamous “The International Jew” of which millions of copies were printed & distributed. Did Nelson Rockefeller really destroy Rive
