Behind the Bastards Part One: Lord Haw-Haw: Hitler's Favorite Anglo Propagandist
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Dec 16, 2025 In this engaging discussion, historian Pádraig O Ruairc uncovers the life of William Joyce, known as Lord Haw-Haw, who became infamous for his pro-Hitler propaganda during WWII. O Ruairc delves into Joyce's mysterious origins and his estrangement from his Irish roots. He explores Joyce's radicalization post-1916, his unsettling involvement with British paramilitary forces, and his unsavory turn toward fascism. The narrative reveals Joyce's hypocrisy and tumultuous personal life, setting the stage for his eventual alignment with Hitler.
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Identity Drives Radical Loyalty
- William Joyce's childhood shows early identity conflicts: born to an Irish Catholic father and Protestant English mother, he obsessively sought British identity.
- That identity crisis drove his later extreme loyalty to British imperialism and rejection of Irishness.
Schoolboy Provocations Escalate
- As a schoolboy Joyce brought a stolen police gun to class to impress peers and later gave impromptu anti-Bolshevik speeches.
- His early stunts earned him a reputation as a lonely, fanatical provocateur rather than a popular leader.
Conspiracy Framing His Politics
- Joyce interpreted Irish republicanism and Bolshevism as a single global conspiracy against Britain.
- That paranoid framework made him volunteer to assist British forces and inform on IRA activity.
