There's a place in Spain...
...called Jarama - and 70 years ago this week it saw serious action by the International Brigades against franco's fascists. The Tom Mann Battalion - the British contingent - saw action at what was soon to be named Suicide Hill, taking a feaerful pounding and losing 375 of their 600 strength. They held, though, for over a day under that hail of death.
Non Pasaran! and all that.
The blame in Spain falls mainly on many people - the British for strangling the republic of arms, Blum for joining the British instead of helping the Spanish (at least the british have the excuse of a Tory government).
The actions of the Communist Party and international Stalinism in Spain are unforgettable and unforgiveable.
But all that aside, the sheer human bravery of men to go and fight and be slaughtered for democracy, for ideals stands in stark contrast to today's armchair warriors cheering on world wide reaction as anti-imperialist.
Labels: Spanish revolution
posted by Bill at 08:51
5 Comments:
Reccomended reading: 'Homage to Catalonia' by George Orwell.
A good account of participation by a British anarchist.
There is, apparently, a right-wing equivalent to Homage to Catalonia , Les grands cimetières sous la lune by the in many ways politically appalling novelist Georges Bernanos, who became disillusioned with Franco while living in Mallorca during the war. Not read that though.
orwell? An anarchist? Buh?!
I remember reading Orwell in 'Down and Out in Paris and London' describing his early politics as 'Tory Anarchism'. ;-)
Go figure.
That Bernanos book sounds interesting. Know if it's been translated?
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