Some impressive archive research has gone into this otherwise rather shallow analysis of the Popes Pius XI & Pius XII as they tried to reconcile their faith and their church with the increasing fascist nationalism that was gripping Europe in the 1930s. With contributions from various American academics it tries to speculate as to the extent to which the former pontiff was prepared to take a much more proactive stance condemning anti-semitosm before his death led to the elevation of his politically savvy Secretary of State to a papacy that he felt had to tread a very fine line between acquiesce…
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