The Policies and Politics of Pope Pius XII: Between Diplomacy and Morality by Frank J. Coppa, and: The Life & Pontificate of Pope Pius XII: Between History and Controversy by Frank J. Coppa (review)

These additions to the "Pius Wars" are worthy contributions to bringing greater understanding to that conflict. Along with Robert Ventresca's Soldier of Christ (see review, ante, 99 [2013], 379), these books approach the wartime pontiff with such a clear mastery of the arguments that both Pius's supporters and his denigrators will find it difficult in the future to expect any serious student to accept the hoary myths that have clouded or exalted that pontiff's reputation.

The two works of Frank Coppa under consideration here are virtually the same in their assessment of Pius. They differ, however, in organization and level of editing. The Life & Pontificate is more informative and much better edited. Both are based on a sound reading of the available sources. It should be noted that Coppa's citations are too often based on secondary works when the primary sources are easily available and citable; furthermore, many citations of fact appear unnecessary, and he tends to use sources indiscriminately. These quibbles aside, these books provide significant insight into Pius's life and works; in Life & Pontificate especially, he details the interpretations of both sides on practically every issue of controversy.

We are now past the polemic that characterized the two periods of Pius interpretations: the first, stimulated by Rolf Hochhuth's The Deputy (New York, 1964) and the second by John Cornwell's Hitler' s Pope (New York, 1999). Serious scholars agree that Pius was not Hitler's pope, favoring the Nazis, nor was he the single person who did more than anyone else to save Jews from the Holocaust. As Coppa points out, there is much more to Pius than the Holocaust, and what best serves our purpose now is to find his motivation for not making that great thundering denunciation that, Coppa believes, his predecessor would have made had he lived to see the Nazi machine at its most deadly.

Coppa finds that motivation in Eugenio Pacelli's home background and in his long service in the papal diplomatic corps. Pacelli as pope did not rise above his background and training. He was a taciturn child in a family devoted to the papacy. He was spoiled by his mother to the extent that he was able to avoid seminary boarding by living and eating at home, and to develop extraordinary self-confidence. Along with his intellectual brilliance and mastery of languages, by the time he was ordained he was fully prepared for a career in the papal diplomatic service. So important does Coppa feel these factors to have been and so instrumental in Pius's papal actions that he devotes nearly half of each book to his family background and his years as a diplomat. Pacelli spent thirty-eight years (1901-39) in the diplomatic service, twice as long as his pontificate.

In what is the best part of both books, Coppa details those years and emphasizes the lessons learned by Pacelli, primarily under the tutelage of the Vatican secretary of state, Pietro Gasparri, from whom the young diplomat learned caution and moderation when dealing with problems. Coppa goes into great detail regarding Pacelli's service to Pope Benedict XV during World War I and argues that his experience there paved the way for his own actions in World War II. Benedict followed the policy of "impartiality"; this meant that the papacy did not condemn either side in that struggle. The pope wished to stay above the fray, because there were Catholics on both sides, and he wanted the opposing...