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Chapter 47: The Blackwater Gang
🕑 Added 2024-11-28 15:25:11 +0000 UTC"Meyer Lansky, huh? Definitely a troublesome figure," Josh remarked, tapping the table lightly in thought.
It wasn't that Josh was afraid.
But for someone of Austrian descent like him, Lansky's Jewish identity added an extra layer of complexity.
Especially since Meyer Lansky wasn't just the godfather of Jewish organized crime. He also held another title: a prominent antifascist pioneer.
During Roosevelt's New Deal era, Lansky collaborated with the government to dismantle the infamous American fascist organization, the Silver Shirts.
This meant that Lansky not only wielded significant influence in the underworld but also had extensive connections in political circles.
For Josh, a new immigrant of Austrian descent, confronting someone like Lansky head-on would be unwise.
However, a grin soon spread across Josh's face.
Why confront him directly?
Chances were, Lansky didn't even know Josh existed.
After all, all the manufacturing and selling of goods had been managed by Lyndon Schneider and Dix.
While Schneider was a German immigrant, Dix was a true-blue Irishman!
And those who had been killed or injured in the recent robbery? All seven of them were Irish.
In the pre-black and Latino era, the three dominant organized crime groups in America were the Irish, Italians, and Jews.
Which of the three was the largest and most widespread?
It wasn’t the Italians or the Jews.
It was the Irish. The first major immigrant group among the three, the Irish, were the true pioneers of American organized crime.
However, the Irish mob had a significant drawback: a penchant for petty violence and poor organizational discipline. Many of their elite members were more inclined toward politics.
As a result, over time, while the Irish rose to dominate American politics, the underworld power vacuum was filled by the more organized Italians and Jews.
"Heh, Schneider, I understand your concerns. But have you forgotten? Dix and his men are Irish. And historically, the Irish have always been America’s largest criminal group. They may be scattered now, but what if we organize them?" Josh finally spoke, noticing Schneider's puzzled look.
Schneider paused for a moment, then quickly grasped Josh's intent.
It wasn't that Schneider hadn't thought of this.
But for Germans of this era, with their Prussian-style education and reputation for excellence, they were typically part of the societal elite in fields like the military, commerce, politics, and research.
Even criminals like Schneider often operated as highly organized thieves.
They rarely saw much value in organized crime.
This was why, despite being America’s largest single ethnic group, there were hardly any German-dominated criminal organizations.
Even if Germans delved into crime, they’d likely create groups like the Silver Shirts or paramilitary forces.
But Josh was different. He lacked the innate pride of German-speaking people of this era.
He was already imagining how powerful a gang led by the Irish but managed with German efficiency could become.
And with the Mafia's organizational model already in place, it was just a matter of replication.
If he couldn’t even replicate something like this, Josh figured he might as well stay home and cuddle with Margaret.
Not long after, Josh summoned Dix and Schneider, worried that Dix might act impulsively if he learned the robbery was linked to the Jewish mob,he had initially kept him in the dark.
"Jews? Boss, just say the word, and I'll gather my men and wipe them out!" Predictably, Dix couldn't sit still after learning who was behind the robbery.
If Josh hadn’t been present to restrain him, Dix might have already been on his way to raid the Jewish mob's territory.
"Calm down, Dix. Revenge will come, but there's something else I want to discuss with you first," Josh said, motioning for Dix to sit down.
"Anything you say, boss!" Dix reluctantly complied.
"Dix, have you ever thought about becoming a boss? Like Colosimo or Dean O’Banion back in the day," Josh said directly. (T/N: Author mentioned both of them even tho Colosimo was Italian)
He deliberately mentioned Colosimo and O’Banion—20th-century Irish crime bosses in Chicago. He avoided referencing Al Capone, as Capone was Italian.
While Colosimo and O’Banion were ultimately overshadowed by the Italians, their fall was partly due to bad luck and a lack of ruthlessness compared to someone like Capone, who wasn’t afraid to use heavy weaponry.
"Uh, boss, I'm not sure I understand," Dix scratched his head, confused by Josh's sudden proposition.
"It's simple. I’m planning to establish a gang. Let’s call it the Blackwater Gang. But the boss won’t be me—it’ll be you. Schneider here will act as your advisor. You'll recruit soldiers from refugee camps to serve as instructors and officers. Beyond that, the rest is up to you. Find a plot of land in the suburbs and set up a training camp. All members must undergo military training. I know this may seem demanding, but with enough money, most people will be willing. I’ll provide all the initial funding.
Once the gang is operational, you’ll continue distributing my goods, and I’ll give you a 30% cut of the profits. As for other sources of income, I won’t take a single penny—it’ll all be yours."
Josh continued, "My only two rules are: no drug dealing and no human trafficking."
Dix's face lit up with excitement. While straightforward, he wasn’t stupid. He understood that under this arrangement, he wouldn’t just be a puppet but would hold significant autonomy as a gang leader.
Meanwhile, Schneider's expression turned complicated.
To him, Josh wasn’t creating a gang—he was forming a mercenary army.
A militarized gang? That sounded terrifying. Add the right weapons to the mix, and groups like the Mafia or Jewish mob wouldn’t stand a chance.
Moreover, neither the Italians nor the Jews could replicate such a model.
They weren’t interested in military-style operations; they were in it for the money, not the fighting.
