Abstract

During the Second World War, the most prominent Italian antifascist organizations in the Americas refused to admit communists. This is not surprising, given the need to secure the cooperation of the US government. The Alleanza Garibaldi, however, sought to build a broader alliance. By admitting all antifascists, no matter their political affiliations, the Garibaldi attempted to promote unity as a sine qua non for defeating nazi-fascism. Based in Mexico City, then a hub for left-wing political exile, the Alleanza leveraged the resources of a variety of transnational partners to disseminate propaganda, assist refugees, and lobby for Italian interests. This article intends to reconstruct the history of this little-known organization and to examine the ways in which these complex solidarity networks both helped and hindered the group’s unity agenda.