Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Homage to Catalonia and The Spanish Civil War
The History of Europe from 1715 ^ | November, 1988 | Andrew Weiss

Posted on 05/27/2003 5:09:26 PM PDT by William McKinley

Andrew Weiss
November 29, 1998
The History of Europe from 1715

 

Homage to Catalonia and The Spanish Civil War

In the 1952 novel, Homage to Catalonia, George Orwell relates his experiences in the Spanish Civil War. In 1937 Orwell traveled to Spain to cover The Spanish Civil War for a British newspaper, but soon after he arrived he joined the P.O.U.M Militia and fought against Franciso Franco. The Spanish Civil War started when Franco, a Spanish general, led a revolt against the republican government. Franco, although not a fascist himself, was backed by Nazi Germany, Fascist Italy, the Spanish Church, Fascists in Spain, and large Spanish landowners. A group of leftist parties, know as the Popular Front, which included republicans, communists, socialists, Anarchists, and communist Russia formed a coalition against the Franco's army. Orwell, like Paul from All Quiet on the Western Front, was sent to the front, however Orwell had a much different experience. Unlike the well-trained killers, heavy casualties, and numerous artillery that Paul faced; Orwell describes the front as boring and full of poorly trained men with a lack of decent weapons. However, Orwell still endured the squalor and horrid conditions in trench warfare that Paul live in. During the course of the war Orwell discovers that the internal and international politics behind The Spanish Civil War are far more complicated that he first perceived.

The Spanish Civil war is more complex that than a simply a battle between fascists and republicans or socialists. First, the war might be described as a revolution rather than a civil war. The popular front is mostly made up leftist workers groups, which include the communists, socialists, and Anarchists, rather than republicans. These groups each had different agendas for Spain. The communists (P.S.U.C.), backed by Russia, wanted to set up a centralized communist government, like the one in Russia. The socialists (P.O.U.M) wanted to set up a worked controlled government with the influence of Russia. While the Anarchists (C.N.T.), also know as the Anarcho-syndicalists, wanted to establish a decentralized workers government. Likewise, Franco's collation was not completely unified. He was backed by rich landowners, which wanted to return to feudal Spain, Spanish Fascists, which wanted a Fascist Spain, and the military. In addition, international politics had considerable influence over the Spanish Civil War. Russia, who helped the Popular Front, had several reasons to intervene in the war. Orwell cynically asserts that Russia wanted to help maintain stability and the status quo in Spain because they were allies and had many treaties and alliances. Furthermore, Russia wanted to limit the power of Fascism in Europe. German and Italy backed Franco because they wanted to extent Fascist and authoritarian rule in Europe.

Orwell quickly leans the diverging ideologies of the many groups in the Popular Front have lead to serious tensions and even violent conflict. For example, while Orwell is on leave from the front in Barcelona riots erupt after the Comminutes storm the Anarchist run telephone company. During the next few days that follow there is bitter fight between groups that are supposedly on the same side. Communists, Socialists, and Anarchists, all members of the Popular Front, ware shooting at each other. As the war progress the divisions become more defined. By the end of the book, the P.O.U.M is declared illegal and Socialists and Anarchists are being rounded up and jailed. Luckily Orwell, with aid of British consulate, is able escape to France and eventually back to England.

In Homage to Catalonia Orwell the complexities of the internal and international politics involved in the Spanish Civil War. Both sides of the war, the Popular Front and army of Franco, were hardly unified. Within each group contained several smaller groups, each with their own ideologies and aims. To make maters more complicated there were several foreign countries also involved in the war. Russia, Italy and Germany were each involved, while England and France remained out of the war. Most likely they stayed out of the conflict because each country did not what to get involved in another war so soon after they experienced the horrors of WWI. This type of isolationism was inductive of England and France's policy of appeasement of Germany during the 1930s. Perhaps Orwell summed up the divisions of the Popular Front when he lamented, "'Why can't we drop all of this political nonsense and get on with the war?'" (Orwell 47).


TOPICS: Miscellaneous
KEYWORDS: georgeorwell; history; orwell; spain; spanishcivilwar
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-47 next last
To: maica; William McKinley
I really enjoyed typing as one foot note reference: Personal conversation with a witness.That was pretty cool!

I wish I could have done so.

My father was a Republican broadcaster on the island of Mallorca. He was forced to flee the island when he found out he was on "Franco's list". He made it to Puerto Rico and then to New York and established a new life in America.

He died when I was 4 years old so I never really knew him.

I respect his political beliefs but can never understand his political affiliations.

They say war makes strange bedfellows but I couldn't have slept with his allies. I'd have probably joined up with...

Jeez what a complicated situation...

I'd have held my nose and backed Franco.

21 posted on 05/27/2003 7:43:40 PM PDT by facedown (Armed in the Heartland)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: the gillman@blacklagoon.com; maica
They were all the same, Communist, Fascist, Nazi or Anarchist. The only difference was the leadership.

You get an "F" for the course. Sign up for remedial history 101 immediately or face suspension.

22 posted on 05/27/2003 8:45:48 PM PDT by Travis McGee (----- www.EnemiesForeignAndDomestic.com -----)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]

To: William McKinley
And if you aren't interested yet, let me add that Orwell describes, in the first person, the experience of being shot in the neck very vividly.

It's easier to wade through the alphabet soup when you know that's coming.
23 posted on 05/27/2003 8:50:49 PM PDT by Oschisms
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: William McKinley; Sparta; Travis McGee; facedown; Cicero; BlackElk
Sparta-thanks for the ping. I feel like Pacino in the Godfather-everytime I douse all the flames from my pro-Franco comments you drag me back in ;-)

IMHO, Franco was a hero of Western Civilization.

Notice how the article fails to include outraged Catholics who fought alongside Franco. It seems they were quite upset about the murder, raping and torturing of priests, nuns, and church goers.

What the leftists never tell you is that Franco resisted the militarys urging to join up with them until the last minute. He wanted to stay true to Spain, whatever form the government was to take. He was stationed in the Canary Islands when the communists dragged the leader of Parliament (his name escapes me) out in the middle of the night and shot him. That was the equivalent for us of taking Dennis Hastert or Bill Frist out from his home in the middle of the night and shooting him. That was the straw that broke the camel's back for Franco. He went down to Morrocco and got all of his old muslim hunting club boys together and crossed over to Spain. I believe there were 4 main generals but it soon became evident that "Francito" (he was short and several years there junior) was most qualified to lead them.

While history is unkind to him we must remember that HE WAS THE FIRST AND ONLY LEADER TO BEAT BACK THE COMMUNISTS OUT OF HIS COUNTRY IN BLOODY STREET TO STREET FIGHTING. No cold war for him-he just hauled off and kicked their asses.

After the war, he was mostly magnanimous in victory. He buried the dead from both sides in the Valley of the Fallen (Magnificent memorial-I was there in 98). He may have executed a few murdering communist thugs, but which one of us wouldn't in his shoes. He made the eventual peaceful transfer to a democracy. While some would indict him for that, history again proves him correct. The socialists promptly screwed things up until Aznar (our staunch ally) took over.

FWIW, Churchill said if he was a Spaniard he would have fought for Franco, Ike loved him, and despite massive help from the Nazi's, Franco managed to rebuff Hitler. Hitler wanted to go down to Gibraltar and cut off the British. Franco said no and was prepared to fight the Germans despite having just been bled white. He did, however, send the famed Blue Division to fight for the Germans. Man, did they kill a lot of Communist troops.

Think how different Europe would have looked if Stalin had successfully installed a puppet government.

Anyone looking for an objective account of Franco and the Spanish Civil War should read a book (title escapes me) by Stanley Payne.

Flame away.

24 posted on 05/28/2003 6:50:38 AM PDT by MattinNJ
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: Cicero
Homage to Catalonia is a brilliant book; give a copy to any young person leaning left that you know.

It's a great way to begin to disperse the fog of leftism.
25 posted on 05/28/2003 6:50:58 AM PDT by headsonpikes
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: facedown; Travis McGee
I'd have held my nose and backed Franco.

Learning more about Franco was one reason for doing the research. He was the 'good' guy out of all the factions involved, but even back then propaganda from the left became accepted wisdom to the masses.

To cite an example closer to home, the name Pinochet causes a reflexive response of "bad." Yet he saved his country from communism and returned it to full democracy in 15 years.

Castro overthrew an autocrat and is still a dictator 44 years later.

The liberal press have never had a good word to say about Pinochet, yet Chile is a success story. Castro gets kid glove treatment and Cubans are trying to swim to Florida to get away from the conditions there.

26 posted on 05/28/2003 6:52:43 AM PDT by maica (Don't believe everything you read in the papers- Jayson Blair)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 21 | View Replies]

To: MattinNJ
He buried the dead from both sides in the Valley of the Fallen (Magnificent memorial-I was there in 98).

And had himself buried there as well.


27 posted on 05/28/2003 7:03:48 AM PDT by facedown (Armed in the Heartland)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 24 | View Replies]

To: facedown
Vivo Cristo Rey.
28 posted on 05/28/2003 7:19:49 AM PDT by MattinNJ
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 27 | View Replies]

To: maica
To cite an example closer to home, the name Pinochet causes a reflexive response of "bad." Yet he saved his country from communism and returned it to full democracy in 15 years.

Couldn't have said it better myself. Pinochet was another hero that the left has managed to villify.

Castro gets kid glove treatment and Cubans are trying to swim to Florida to get away from the conditions there.

Yup. My father-in-law had to do two years in a labor camp to get his family out. Franco took the Cubans in with open arms. They all were given jobs (not welfare) and medical care (my wife was born in Madrid). I guess thats why I am partial to Franco. To this day my father-in-law thanks Franco every day for his kindness and curses Castro for ruining his beloved Havana.

29 posted on 05/28/2003 7:28:36 AM PDT by MattinNJ
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 26 | View Replies]

To: MattinNJ
Ineresting item that I just read on another thread: ---



***NEWS***

Influx of Iraqi Officals Reported in Cuba [After Fall of Baghdad]

Large number of former officials from Saddam Hussein's Government have been given safe haven in Cuba, Cuban exile sources say.

The former officials and their families arrived in Havana in the days following the fall of Baghdad April 9th.

News of the Iraqis in Cuba comes amid reports that France provided passports to Iraqi officials to help them flee the country.

About a dozen passports were found in Iraq by US Military Intelligence survey teams and defense officials believe France provided the passports to the Iraqis.

Other officials said the passports might have been looted or forged.

Cuba's Fidel Castro and Saddam Hussein have had close ties in the past.

41 posted on 05/28/2003 10:35 AM EDT by Carolina
30 posted on 05/28/2003 7:44:33 AM PDT by maica (Don't believe everything you read in the papers- Jayson Blair)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 29 | View Replies]

To: maica
LOL, I just posted on that thread. I, for one, look forward to that butchers death.

I tend to be an isolationist, but I have yet to figure out why we just don't take him out. Especially now that the Russians aren't there to back him up and his air force is down to a few crop dusters. He is due for a little "Shock and Awe".

31 posted on 05/28/2003 7:50:02 AM PDT by MattinNJ
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 30 | View Replies]

To: Sparta
Thanks! My grandfather went over there to fight against Franco, but I really have no idea what his motivation was. I'm going to start this book as soon as I'm done with the anthology of Orwell's essays that I bought last week :)
32 posted on 05/28/2003 9:19:16 AM PDT by Britton J Wingfield
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: Sparta
Please add me to list.

And, lack of accurate reporting of Spanish Civil War is in part (or all) due to the US's romance with Soviet Union and with the leftist volunteers that got so much popular hype at the time.

By the time facts had shown otherwise, there was little new history being done of the period and the masses had Hemmingway upon whom to base their opinions.



33 posted on 05/28/2003 9:30:36 AM PDT by norton
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: MattinNJ; maica
No flame from me. Franco and Pinochet are in my Pantheon of Heroes.

You can't beat a well orgaized and financed communist takeover by sending nicely worded diplomatic notes.

You have to choke their windpipes before they drive their dagger into your heart.

Oh for a Cuban Franco!

34 posted on 05/28/2003 1:38:39 PM PDT by Travis McGee (----- www.EnemiesForeignAndDomestic.com -----)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 24 | View Replies]

To: Travis McGee; maica
Oh for a Cuban Franco!

There were Cuban Franco's. They were stabbed in the back and led to the slaughter by JFK. Castro held his troops back from attacking during the Bay of Pigs because we had a carrier right off the coast to support the revolt. When it became obvious that we were not going to launch any planes he moved his armor in for the slaughter. I remember reading a first hand account of a crewman on the bridge who saw the Admiral BEG "Please, Mr. President, just one plane." The Admiral broke down in tears.

Despite no air cover, the Cubans put up a fierce resistance. With air cover, most military analysts say that Castro would have hid in the hills and 40 plus years of suffering could have been avoided.

35 posted on 05/28/2003 1:51:17 PM PDT by MattinNJ
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 34 | View Replies]

To: MattinNJ
What an excellent summary of the history of Franco.

And thanks for including the raping and killing that was going on against the nuns and clergy.
36 posted on 05/28/2003 1:52:29 PM PDT by maica (Don't believe everything you read in the papers- Jayson Blair)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 24 | View Replies]

To: MattinNJ
I stand corrected. Mea Culpa.
37 posted on 05/28/2003 1:53:05 PM PDT by Travis McGee (----- www.EnemiesForeignAndDomestic.com -----)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 35 | View Replies]

To: Travis McGee
Franco and Pinochet are in my Pantheon of Heroes.

Oops. Forget to add "Well put". If only people would open their damn eyes and compare and contrast Chile with Argentina or Spain with Yugoslavia.

38 posted on 05/28/2003 1:54:42 PM PDT by MattinNJ
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 34 | View Replies]

To: MattinNJ
Yes, or either with Cuba.
39 posted on 05/28/2003 1:59:27 PM PDT by Travis McGee (----- www.EnemiesForeignAndDomestic.com -----)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 38 | View Replies]

To: Travis McGee; MattinNJ
On the subject of the anti-Castro Cubans, Felix Rodriguez's autobiography "Shadow Warrior" is a good one. From training in the jungles of Central America with American Spec Ops, to recon missions into Cuba itself, it is a great read.

Be forewarned: Rodriguez dealt with Ollie North on a number of occasions vis-a-vis the contras, and Ollie comes off as a self-righteous, arrogant, blowhard naif who was in way over his head.

40 posted on 05/28/2003 2:01:34 PM PDT by Seydlitz
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 37 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-47 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson