They were criminals, some of them even torturers and mass murderers: High-ranking National Socialists and fascists were allegedly since 1945 on the run from the justice of the Allies. But the victors were less concerned with morality and justice. The CIA recruited numerous former Nazi leaders and Italian fascists as agents for their worldwide operations against communism. They infiltrated the highest government offices in Germany, organized torture, death squads and intelligence services in pro-American military dictatorships in South America and were involved in coup attempts in Italy.