Status
Available
Genres
Publication
Penguin Books (2006), 560 pages
Description
A comprehensive account of the Spanish Civil War that examines the tensions that led to the war, the global consequences of the conflict, the key figures on both sides, and other related topics.
User reviews
LibraryThing member rocketjk
Only the excellence and clarity of Beevor's writing made this book endurable. The subject matter made it a 479-page slog through death, cruelty, pain, incompetence, betrayal and confusion. Beevor's work presents a fascinating story of a tragic event in history, but an event during which, through the eyes of this modern, democracy-admiring reader, barely one single attractive event occurs.
Well I should qualify that: the bravery and heroism of the usually undermanned and overmatched soldiers fighting on the republican side against Franco's forces, often despite the incompetence and stubbornness of their own generals, was admirable indeed. But good gracious, it is depressing to read of the hypocracy of England and France and the U.S. who, in the name of "non-interventionism," assured that arms would get to Franco's forces but not to those those defending the Spain from fascist generals. And it is depressing to read of the success the Spanish Communists had in marginalizing and terrorizing most of their political partners in the struggle against Franco and who were willing, as military commanders late in the war, to sacrifice the lives of thousands of their soldiers in hopeless and vain attempts to win propaganda victories. And that's the short list.
But, again, that's not to blame Beevor for his subject matter. His ability to write about all these things clearly and compellingly, and to sort out the many political movements and their incessant comings and goings, is nothing short of admirable. Beevor also does a terrific job of going back centuries to quickly and clearly set up the long-developing contexts for the political, class and religious histories that made passions run so high and animosities so fervent and entrenched once the explosion occurred with the military rising against the civilian government in 1936.
So this is a very, very good book, but a very difficult work to read. That said, I'm very glad to have read it.… (more)
Well I should qualify that: the bravery and heroism of the usually undermanned and overmatched soldiers fighting on the republican side against Franco's forces, often despite the incompetence and stubbornness of their own generals, was admirable indeed. But good gracious, it is depressing to read of the hypocracy of England and France and the U.S. who, in the name of "non-interventionism," assured that arms would get to Franco's forces but not to those those defending the Spain from fascist generals. And it is depressing to read of the success the Spanish Communists had in marginalizing and terrorizing most of their political partners in the struggle against Franco and who were willing, as military commanders late in the war, to sacrifice the lives of thousands of their soldiers in hopeless and vain attempts to win propaganda victories. And that's the short list.
But, again, that's not to blame Beevor for his subject matter. His ability to write about all these things clearly and compellingly, and to sort out the many political movements and their incessant comings and goings, is nothing short of admirable. Beevor also does a terrific job of going back centuries to quickly and clearly set up the long-developing contexts for the political, class and religious histories that made passions run so high and animosities so fervent and entrenched once the explosion occurred with the military rising against the civilian government in 1936.
So this is a very, very good book, but a very difficult work to read. That said, I'm very glad to have read it.… (more)
LibraryThing member emed0s
Having read Berlin and Stalingrad penned by the same author I was looking forward for the same, in my opinion tremendously engaging, writing style of big events described through a compositions of small personal memories. But I found none of it in this volume, instead most pages are devoted to endless descriptions of the multiple parties fighting for power on both sides. Good to get an overall idea of what this war politics were like but not engaging on an emotional level.… (more)
LibraryThing member vguy
A tragedy, excellently told. Good not only on the battle fronts but the social context and the plotting and posturing. Every detail is there down to the weaponry and logistics, the sad mistakes, the viciousness on both sides, the wetness of the rest of the world. At times i wept.
Intriguing is how the Communists were effective about encroaching on power but hopeless at military strategy, being only concerned for propaganda victories, ie suicidal frontal attacks. But behind it all is Stalin who didnt want them to win anyway - was it deliberate? That's not made clear.
My own reflection: Franco's Africanista army was the steelier part of the Spanish armed forces, but can't have been that good. They had the Nazis Condor airpower to soften up the Republicans who were barely professional, under-equipped and inwardly eroded by the Communists. Should have been a walk over for the fascists.… (more)
Intriguing is how the Communists were effective about encroaching on power but hopeless at military strategy, being only concerned for propaganda victories, ie suicidal frontal attacks. But behind it all is Stalin who didnt want them to win anyway - was it deliberate? That's not made clear.
My own reflection: Franco's Africanista army was the steelier part of the Spanish armed forces, but can't have been that good. They had the Nazis Condor airpower to soften up the Republicans who were barely professional, under-equipped and inwardly eroded by the Communists. Should have been a walk over for the fascists.… (more)
LibraryThing member petrojoh
A dry but seemingly comprehensive account of a confusing and almost experimental war.
LibraryThing member robertg69
The usual perceptive analysis of Beevor with the latest historical information available. Well written
LibraryThing member furriebarry
A dry but informative history of the Spanish Civil War. Comprehensive and intense.
LibraryThing member big_brother
I did not know what to expect from this book when I took it from the shelf in a store and carried to the cashier's desk. To begin with, there was the author, Anthony Beevor. I often came across this name in arguments over the Second World War on forums on-line. One of his sensational books is “Berlin. The Downfall”. In this book Beevor pays much attention to the behavour of Soviet soldiers in occupied Germany. Of course, there was plenty of disappointment and irritation in Russian blogs with posts with hundreds of comments about whether red army soldiers raped German women or not. It was controversial and ambiguous.
I chose his book on another topic, civil war in Spain, intentionally. What did I know about this war? Not much, to be honest. Well, USSR participated, Germans bombed a hell out of one Spanish town Picasso painted a picture on it, and at the end cruel fascists and not good communists won. So I started reading this book just to learn about the course of events.
I did not regret a second after I started this book. All the names, vaguely associated with this war, got a context and entourage in my mind. Right now I know for sure that Dolores Ibarruri and Passionaria are not just the streets in my home city, but in fact are the same person. Plus I know the course of events and key figures there. And after I've finished the book Fanco turned from the photo in a handbook to a garrison commander in the middle of a Spanish nowhere, who got all the power during the war.
The core of the book, however, is not in the fact that author tells about battles, participants and results. Page by page and phrase by phrase the text created the feeling and the atmosphere of these days. Franco's repressions, the devastation of anarchist Barcelona by communists, soviet tanks and German planes and many other things became meaningful, and not dry list of facts in a handbook. So by the end of this book the Spanish Civil War doesn't become either a struggle for the social justice, or a restoration of constitutional government. It is nothing but but a banal fight over the power, and all the parties were, in fact, worth each other.… (more)
I chose his book on another topic, civil war in Spain, intentionally. What did I know about this war? Not much, to be honest. Well, USSR participated, Germans bombed a hell out of one Spanish town Picasso painted a picture on it, and at the end cruel fascists and not good communists won. So I started reading this book just to learn about the course of events.
I did not regret a second after I started this book. All the names, vaguely associated with this war, got a context and entourage in my mind. Right now I know for sure that Dolores Ibarruri and Passionaria are not just the streets in my home city, but in fact are the same person. Plus I know the course of events and key figures there. And after I've finished the book Fanco turned from the photo in a handbook to a garrison commander in the middle of a Spanish nowhere, who got all the power during the war.
The core of the book, however, is not in the fact that author tells about battles, participants and results. Page by page and phrase by phrase the text created the feeling and the atmosphere of these days. Franco's repressions, the devastation of anarchist Barcelona by communists, soviet tanks and German planes and many other things became meaningful, and not dry list of facts in a handbook. So by the end of this book the Spanish Civil War doesn't become either a struggle for the social justice, or a restoration of constitutional government. It is nothing but but a banal fight over the power, and all the parties were, in fact, worth each other.… (more)
LibraryThing member johnthefireman
I enjoy Beevor's works, which are detailed but readable. This one gave me perhaps my first real understanding of the events of the Spanish Civil War, a war which has an important place in European and socialist mythology and has inspired so many.
LibraryThing member thierry
Some books are quite good in that they force you to re-examine your a priori knowledge of an historical episode. This is such a book to me. The Spanish Civil War tore through Spain from 1936 to 1939, pitting a left leaning democratically elected republican government against an uprising of nationalist and reactionary military commanders. It heralded for some the opening salvo of the Second World War, for others it merely was skirmish in the long Cold War, and for others still, it represented the apotheosis and the epilogue of the Spanish Reconquista.
In my opinion, the main strength of the book lies in its framing of the War in a very particular historical context: on the eve of the Second World War, nationalistic authoritarianism and fascism were perceived by democracies as less of a threat to stability than communism. Democratic nations feared a communist inspired regime in Spain and acted in accordance with that analysis, thus denying support to the Republic, effecting an arms embargo, disregarding the involvement the axis powers. Furthermore, in that light, one can propose a cogent explanation for the actions of Franco and the Junta, set in a historical, ideological and global context.
Naturally the author does not condone the military usurpation of a democratic regime (nor do I - Franco’s tomb deserves to be pissed on), and goes at length to catalog the cleansing and killing on both sides. One expects communists and anarchists to be killed in the nationalist zones, but what surprised me was the scope of the slaughter within the republican areas. Fanned by Moscow, the ideological dissentions between communists, socialists, trotskyists, anarchists, syndicalists, and the overarching ideological orthodoxy which drove military decision making were the main reasons for the fall of the Republic, more than the campaigns of unified nationalists, reliant on allies’ manpower and technology.
This aspect was wonderfully clarified by the author, as were the military campaigns of the conflict. The author’s fluency in portraying the various battles of the conflict is evident – and he relied on a range of historical documents, from reports of Commissars and other foreigners to accounts of ground troops. Furthermore, the fact that so many literary figures took stances in this conflict does help by adding another layer of perspective.
If I were to offer some criticism, I would put forth that the book does not start strongly, with its style at times a little tenuous. I will also add my usual complaint, which is that the author should have offered more information on the foot soldiers. They often come across as toy soldiers, pawns of great masterminds: however this was a conflict of deeply held convictions, therefore the motivation, the demographics of those who took sides would have illustrative. I understand that poumistas were primarily factor workers, and that requetes were mostly landowning peasants from the North – bringing them, and others to life is good history in my mind.… (more)
In my opinion, the main strength of the book lies in its framing of the War in a very particular historical context: on the eve of the Second World War, nationalistic authoritarianism and fascism were perceived by democracies as less of a threat to stability than communism. Democratic nations feared a communist inspired regime in Spain and acted in accordance with that analysis, thus denying support to the Republic, effecting an arms embargo, disregarding the involvement the axis powers. Furthermore, in that light, one can propose a cogent explanation for the actions of Franco and the Junta, set in a historical, ideological and global context.
Naturally the author does not condone the military usurpation of a democratic regime (nor do I - Franco’s tomb deserves to be pissed on), and goes at length to catalog the cleansing and killing on both sides. One expects communists and anarchists to be killed in the nationalist zones, but what surprised me was the scope of the slaughter within the republican areas. Fanned by Moscow, the ideological dissentions between communists, socialists, trotskyists, anarchists, syndicalists, and the overarching ideological orthodoxy which drove military decision making were the main reasons for the fall of the Republic, more than the campaigns of unified nationalists, reliant on allies’ manpower and technology.
This aspect was wonderfully clarified by the author, as were the military campaigns of the conflict. The author’s fluency in portraying the various battles of the conflict is evident – and he relied on a range of historical documents, from reports of Commissars and other foreigners to accounts of ground troops. Furthermore, the fact that so many literary figures took stances in this conflict does help by adding another layer of perspective.
If I were to offer some criticism, I would put forth that the book does not start strongly, with its style at times a little tenuous. I will also add my usual complaint, which is that the author should have offered more information on the foot soldiers. They often come across as toy soldiers, pawns of great masterminds: however this was a conflict of deeply held convictions, therefore the motivation, the demographics of those who took sides would have illustrative. I understand that poumistas were primarily factor workers, and that requetes were mostly landowning peasants from the North – bringing them, and others to life is good history in my mind.… (more)
LibraryThing member gommecourt
A comprehensive and detailed book about a war broadly unknown to me but which somehow left me unsatisfied. Although I now know a lot more about the conduct of the war, the personalities involved and their relationships somehow elude me and these seem key to the conduct and outcome of the conflict. The revelation of the attitudes and policies of the Western powers, though, came as an embarrassing surprise and helps explain both the prelude and early conduct of WW2.… (more)
LibraryThing member NathaliaR
Read during season 2 of Anubis. Told dad I wanted to learn more about the Spanish Civil War and he sent me this. Learnt almost everything I currently know (2013) in this book. Very informative and eye opening.
LibraryThing member steve1966
Detailed study of the war.
Instigated by fascist generals against elected republic though republic likely have revolted against a right wing elected government
Republic not supported by Britain, France or USA who remained non interventionist and let to Republic turning entirely to Russia for arms and support which steered the republic towards communism
Nationalists received arms throughout from Nazi Germany and Italy and used their own army of Africa - though unable to take the major Cities of eg Madrid, Valencia and Barcelona for some time they did take control of surrounding areas and the reminder of the county before taking the major Cities
Franco was subsequently ruthless in his regime and attacking republicans after the war. Regime would have been overthrown but saved by cold war and the threat of communism felt throughout Western Europe… (more)
Instigated by fascist generals against elected republic though republic likely have revolted against a right wing elected government
Republic not supported by Britain, France or USA who remained non interventionist and let to Republic turning entirely to Russia for arms and support which steered the republic towards communism
Nationalists received arms throughout from Nazi Germany and Italy and used their own army of Africa - though unable to take the major Cities of eg Madrid, Valencia and Barcelona for some time they did take control of surrounding areas and the reminder of the county before taking the major Cities
Franco was subsequently ruthless in his regime and attacking republicans after the war. Regime would have been overthrown but saved by cold war and the threat of communism felt throughout Western Europe… (more)
LibraryThing member mackthefinger
Engrossing account of the civil war that plagued Spain from 36-39. It took a while to get into, because its not just the Red's v Fascists - the battles between the rival factions within these were often as bloody. There's a whole swathe of acronymns of groups and personalities involved, and it does take a while to get used to who's who. This wasn't a war I knew much about, other than a little about Guernica and the involvement of writers such as Orwell and Hemingway, so it was great to learn more.
Obviously the slaughter and reprisals, and the bombing of innocents was horrific, but what I also found disturbing was the non-interventionist policies of countries such as Britain and the USA in applying arms-embargos to what was a democratically elected republican government. The Catholic Church was also happy to back Franco, though this came as less of a shock.
I didn't find it just as enthralling as 'Berlin' or 'Stalingrad' by the same author - too often the book seemed to get bogged down in a detailed description of military manoueveres. But he displays the same skills he showed in those titles in terms of giving an overview of how the war affected all sections of Spain, as well as the life of the individual. A difficult book about a harrowing subject but an essential read if you want to know more about Spains dark past.… (more)
Obviously the slaughter and reprisals, and the bombing of innocents was horrific, but what I also found disturbing was the non-interventionist policies of countries such as Britain and the USA in applying arms-embargos to what was a democratically elected republican government. The Catholic Church was also happy to back Franco, though this came as less of a shock.
I didn't find it just as enthralling as 'Berlin' or 'Stalingrad' by the same author - too often the book seemed to get bogged down in a detailed description of military manoueveres. But he displays the same skills he showed in those titles in terms of giving an overview of how the war affected all sections of Spain, as well as the life of the individual. A difficult book about a harrowing subject but an essential read if you want to know more about Spains dark past.… (more)
LibraryThing member KayHarker
Too complicated a subject for the usual Beevor delivery.Then again,I have yet to read a book on The Spanish Civil War that could come up with an engaging treatment. Perhaps the subject matter doesn't lend itself to reading entertainment on any level? The writer that cracks this is yet to come and I reckon its too late ,because the truth is all dead and buried.… (more)
LibraryThing member MiaCulpa
If people are allowed to have a “favourite” civil war then my favourite would be the Spanish Civil War. This is especially true now that I realise that the War of the Sicilian Vespers was not a civil war (or about Vespas for that matter). The Spanish Civil War captures the attention more than other civil wars and Beevor has written an account of that war that, in my mind, is not matched by any other war history.
Beevor takes us on a tour of Spanish history leading up to the 1930s, and explains why such a destructive war could take place. He describes darkly humorous moments of history as well events that will haunt you long after you put the book down. He introduces us to the few heroes of the war (Dr Marcel Junod for one) as well as its many villains (Stalin, Mussolini, Franco, Hitler, the non-interventionist west et al.) and its turning points. In the end you can only think of “what ifs?” and marvel at Franco’s journey from Fascist pariah to key western ally.
I’ve been holding off reading other books by Beevor for fear they would suffer by comparison with “The Battle for Spain” but I’ve finally taken the plunge and am reading “Stalingrad”. Wish me luck.… (more)
Beevor takes us on a tour of Spanish history leading up to the 1930s, and explains why such a destructive war could take place. He describes darkly humorous moments of history as well events that will haunt you long after you put the book down. He introduces us to the few heroes of the war (Dr Marcel Junod for one) as well as its many villains (Stalin, Mussolini, Franco, Hitler, the non-interventionist west et al.) and its turning points. In the end you can only think of “what ifs?” and marvel at Franco’s journey from Fascist pariah to key western ally.
I’ve been holding off reading other books by Beevor for fear they would suffer by comparison with “The Battle for Spain” but I’ve finally taken the plunge and am reading “Stalingrad”. Wish me luck.… (more)
LibraryThing member Miro
Antony Beevor provides a very illuminating account of the background and events of the Spanish Civil War. A surprise was the extent of undercover Communist infiltration of the Republican government (eventually complete) and the clear plan to establish a Bolshevik state on soviet lines. Communist extremism came first and and the mild Spanish monarchist right, metamorphosed in self defence into a hard religious nationalist group. In other words the Communists started it and only used the democratic Republican government as a cover. Chapter 21 "The Propaganda War and the Intellectuals" is excellent - the commentators only saw what they wanted to see.… (more)
LibraryThing member Luftwaffe_Flak
Antony does it yet again, an excellent book exploring an often confusing subject. He shows us the layers of conflict between the varying factions involved and the exploitations by outside powers. Highly recommended.
LibraryThing member kencf0618
Superseded by Spanish and Russian historiography and the opening up of Fascist, Communist, and Soviet archives, this remains a classic one-volume introduction to a particularly brutal, intricate & iconic civil war. Talk about war to the knife!
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English