Richard B. Spence
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When and how did the Allies find out about the Holocaust, and what were the intelligence sources that delivered the information? This fundamental collection of research studies digs deeply into that sensitive topic and sheds new light on the realities of code-breaking and understanding of what was happening in Nazi-occupied Europe during the Second World War. Documents with their sources have been assembled from many previously closed archives. Includes...
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Welcome to The Real History of Secret Societies, a historical look at the true-life groups which, if you believe the myths, are the unspoken power behind some of the world's major turning points, from controlling the British crown to holding back the electric car and keeping Martians and Atlantis under wraps. Prepare yourself. In this course brought to you in partnership with HISTORY®, you will be visiting some of history's deepest rabbit-holes,
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Step into the sweltering world of New York City in the 1970s, where social misfit David Berkowitz committed a series of murders, and then claimed he was possessed by an evil spirit and was part of a Satanic cult. Like the Manson murders and the Zodiac killer, the "Son of Sam" spree poses difficult questions about psychology and the nature of evil.
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Real History of Secret Societies volume 15
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Professor Spence opens the door on secret-society conspiracy that permeated across countries and decades, with each iteration more complicated and bizarre than the last. The Learned Elders of Zion never actually existed, but to this made-up secret society was attributed a real-life protocol to take over the world, which caused (and continues to cause) incalculable harm and religious intolerance.
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Real History of Secret Societies volume 23
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Professor Spence introduces you to a crazy-sounding story about Aleister Crowley's secret society, Ordo Templi Orientis, as he debates the merits of truth around it. From there, hear some fantastical stories about UFOs, the Priory of Sion, the American Heraldry Society, the Society of St. John of Jerusalem, and other groups and events developed from hoaxes designed to distract and mislead.
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Real History of Secret Societies volume 12
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Explore the roots of the 28-year-old Adam Weishaupt's secret society, the Order of Perfectibilists, which later became the Order of the Illuminati, or, in German, the Illuminatenordern: The Order of the Enlightened. Discover how Weishaupt envisioned nothing less than "A New World," which necessitated destruction of Christianity and all other forms of religion.
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The ghastly murder of Bridget Cleary in turn-of-the-century Ireland takes us into the mystery of human psychology. On the surface, it seems her husband, Michael, murdered her because he believed she was a "changeling" fairy in disguise. Could he really have believed that? Was he mad? Why else could have driven this murder?
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Real History of Secret Societies volume 21
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Professor Spence turns his focus to the United States and uniquely American secret societies, including the sham group known as the U.S. Secret and Civil Service Society, Self-Supporting Branch. He also covers the disturbing emergence and evolution of the Ku Klux Klan. Discover how the secret societies that emerged during this period acted as a reflection of America at the turn of the century.
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Real History of Secret Societies volume 24
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From the 1920 Wall Street bombing to the events of 9/11, see where secret societies have embraced terrorism as a mind game throughout history. Most secret orders are more or less harmless, but Professor Spence peers inside some which have used violence to further their agendas, including the Ku Klux Klan, the Red Army Faction, the Weathermen, and the Symbionese Liberation Army.
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Unsolved murders are as compelling as anything you might see in the movies. It is fitting then that our first "crime of the century" is the mysterious murder of a Hollywood director in 1922. William Desmond Taylor was not who he seemed to be, and his death continues to fascinate a century later.
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The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand by Serb nationalist Gavrilo Princip was one of the most world-shaking events in the 20th century. Although the events are clear and well-known, the motivation behind the murder is rife with conspiracy. Dive into a cycle of mystery and violence in early 20th century Sarajevo.
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Real History of Secret Societies volume 11
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Professor Spence introduces you to The Ancient and Mystical Order of the Rosae Crucis, which might be the first commercially marketed secret society. During the early 20th century, the mystical order's grand imperator, H. Spencer Lewis, claimed that "The Secrets Entrusted to the Few," including skills like levitation and telepathy, could be yours for a low price.
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Real History of Secret Societies volume 25
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Taking an in-depth look at The Order, FEAR (Forever Enduring, Always Ready), the Silver Legion of America (Silver Shirts), and others, Professor Spence demonstrates how so many of these secret societies begot, influenced, or resulted in other ones, keeping the tradition going and suggesting that there are hundreds, if not thousands, more that have remained secret.
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Real History of Secret Societies volume 20
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Propaganda-Due, or P-2 , an Italian pseudo-Masonic organization, has been tied to a number of shady crimes and mysteries, including corruption, bribes, and even murder. Yet it was made up of senior military and police officers, parliament members, journalists, and the heads of all three of Italy's intelligence agencies. Learn how this organization grew to include such important figures.
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Real History of Secret Societies volume 14
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The Irish Republican Army was a tightly organized secret society battling the greatest power on Earth, the British empire. But they were not the first secret society to practice resistance in Ireland. Professor Spence introduces you to The Whiteboys, the Peep o'Day Boys, the Orange Order, the Sons of the Shamrock, Young Ireland, the Molly Maguires, the Ancient Order of Hibernians, and more.
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Real History of Secret Societies volume 22
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Get to know the elite secret societies that only recruited members who were already (or would likely be) rich or influential, including the Bohemian Club, the Schlaraffia, the Sath-Bhai or Asiatic Brethren, the FOGC, the Skull & Bones Society, and more. These primarily men-only clubs are rumored to have dabbled in black arts, unusual rituals, and conspiratorial agendas.
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Real History of Secret Societies volume 18
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Discover how some politically driven secret societies have far-reaching impact, as Professor Spence dives into a period of time when America was full of Soviet espionage and clandestine communist activity. Through a number of interlinked histories, he demonstrates how the Communist party relied on proven secret-society techniques, such as selective recruitment and fanatical loyalty.
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Real History of Secret Societies volume 19
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Examine how the Black Dragons had a huge impact in pushing Japan into fanaticism, militarism, and a devastating war. Then, explore additional Asian-based groups, including the Green Dragons and the Genyosha (or Dark Ocean), and how they dabbled in everything from major bombings to a plan to assassinate Charlie Chaplin.
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Real History of Secret Societies volume 16
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Do criminal gangs really qualify as secret societies? Yes: They're selective in membership, require oaths and initiations, and members usually advance through grades or ranks. From the early 20th-century Thuggees of India to the modern-day mafias that have arisen in cities all over the world, you'll get to know the seedy underbelly of society like never before.
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More than 50 years later, the Zodiac case remains as cold as the chilly night this infamous serial killer slayed the first victims. Like an American Jack the Ripper, the Zodiac killer maintains a grip on our imagination because the killer might still be out there-somewhere. Review what we know about this captivating crime spree.