A very short introduction seems like a good place to start. I think helen graham is probably the most profound historian writing about the spanish civil war in the english language. The book is an account of the american volunteers who participated in the spanish civil war from 1936 to 1939. Guerra civil espanola was a civil war in spain fought from 1936 to 1939. Republicans loyal to the left leaning second spanish republic, in alliance with anarchists, fought against a revolt.
The spanish civil war was born out of the problems that persisted in the country. Emma goldman as a participant in the civil war 193639. For the history book by hugh thomas, see the spanish civil war book. The best books on the spanish civil war five books expert. George orwells spanish civil war memoir is a classic, but. On the morning of february 27, 1937, which began cold and gray, a few hundred americans waited to storm a hill southeast of madrid, near the. The spanish civil war a reading list pan macmillan.
Whether it is contemporary accounts, historical thesis or fiction set during the 193639 conflict, there is a huge choice of very good reads on the. Quite literally this book, the battle for spain, would never have been possible without all his help and enthusiasm in completing a project. Burned into our collective historical consciousness, it not only. The opening weeks of the spanish civil war were characterized by horrendous atrocities, most of them inflicted by an inflamed working class upon conservatives in general and catholic clergy in particular. Until the end of the ensuing dictatorship which lasted until general francos death in 1975 it was particularly difficult for spanish authors to write about what took place. The spanish civil war reaction, revolution and revenge paul preston. Republicans loyal to the leftleaning second spanish republic, in alliance with anarchists, of the communist and syndicalist variety, fought against a revolt by the nationalists, an alliance of falangists, monarchists, conservatives and catholics, led by a military group among whom general francisco franco soon achieved a preponderant role. A full, vivid and deeply serious treatment of a great subject. George orwells spanish civil war memoir is a classic, but is it bad history. The spanish civil war is considered to have begun in 1936 and ended in the year 1939.
There is also a lengthy article by eddie conlon, the spanish civil war. Published in 1971, while franco still ruled spain, this beautifullywritten book charts the mystery surrounding the death of spanish poet lorca during the civil war. Fascists, nationalists, nazis, antifa, anarchistswho predicted these. The hidden history of the spanish civil war youtube. Informative books that tell you about the spanish civil war. Jul 18, 2018 the spanish civil war reaction, revolution and revenge paul preston.
The 20th century has been an extremely destructive period in world history and gandhi was one of the few. The best book ive read on the spanish civil war is the revolution and the civil war in spain. This little book, an oxford university press paperback, which is a short introduction. Jun 14, 2016 in spanish history books, there are some blank pages, states francisco espinosa. List of books and articles about spanish civil war online. For many international communists, the war came to define both their life histories and political commitments. Jeffrey burn is a distinguished artist that has illustrated several osprey publications over the years, including maa 230. The spanish civil war monuments debate continues time. The definitive work on the spanish civil war, a classic of modern historical. The battle over the memory of the spanish civil war history. Us historyspanish civil war wikibooks, open books for an. Feb 20, 2020 this anarchist site includes various articles on the spanish civil war, pamphlets, information on the participation of women, links to collections of pictures and posters, and a list of online books. A political history of spanish anarchism, 19111937.
However if you are a new to the spanish civil war, this is the book to start. Americans in the spanish civil war, 19361939 is a nonfiction book by adam hochschild that was first published by houghton mifflin harcourt on march 29, 2016. Following the end of the spanish civil war in 1939. Figures who have come to dominate spanish history books make occasional appearances but the focus is on ordinary people. May 06, 2017 george orwells spanish civil war memoir is a classic, but is it bad history. Spains second republic 19311936, the spanish civil war 19361939 and the post war years of the 1940s form the foci of this collection named for herbert rutledge southworth, who began collecting these materials systematically during the war.
The civil war that tore spain apart between 1936 and 1939 and attracted liberals and socialists from across the world to support the cause against franco was one of the most hardfought and bitterest conflicts of the 20th century. Browne has also included a subject bibliography and sixteen annotated documents for study and discussion. This title illustrates how diverse the republican forces were, drawn from loyal elements of the spanish army that rejected the appeal of the rebel generals, a wide range of volunteer regional units and political militias, and supported by volunteers from. Ultimately, 12 bishops and hundreds of priests and nuns and seminarians were slaughtered. On july 18, 1936, the spanish civil war begins as a revolt by rightwing spanish military officers in spanish morocco and spreads to mainland spain. I think it is down to the fact that i was born in liverpool in 1946 and liverpool had been really badly hit with the blitz.
For anyone interested in taking a deeper dive, here are some spanish civil war books fiction and nonfiction to get you started. The spanish civil war is considered to have begun in 1936 and ended in. After oxford, i got an opportunity to do an ma at reading, which. May 15, 20 the best book ive read on the spanish civil war is the revolution and the civil war in spain. There were largescale military battles that left tens of thousands dead. His work helped to launch a memory movement, focused on reclaiming the lives erased from the history books during the franco era. Homage to catalonia belongs in any list of important books on the spanish civil war. The 14 best books about the spanish civil war the local. Updated to coincide with the 80th anniversary of the outbreak of the spanish civil war, prestons detailed account tells the story of the rise of francisco franco and the new and horrific form of warfare that would come to define the 20th century. Eighty years on, spain may at last be able to confront the. Collectives in the spanish revolution gaston leval. A vivid and authoritative account of the spanish civil war and the rise to prominence of general franco.
List of books and articles about spanish civil war. Spanish civil war breaks out on july 18, 1936, the spanish civil war begins as a revolt by rightwing spanish military officers in spanish morocco and spreads to mainland spain. All printed and published by independent workers cooperatives, and proceeds help fund our work. Sep 08, 2017 the spanish civil war was born out of the problems that persisted in the country. The americans soldiers of the spanish civil war the new yorker. International communism and the spanish civil war lisa a. Choose from used and new textbooks or get instant access with etextbooks and digital materials. Stands without rivals as the most balanced and comprehensive book on the subject. Originally published in 1961, this is the definitive english language history of the spanish civil war, describing the major political and military events of the conflict in 600plus pages of narrative, with numerous maps, some photographs and appendices giving statistics of industrial production, imports and exports, military aid supplied by. Spanish civil war history is now magazine, podcasts. The world witnessed some of the largest air battles that it had ever seen. If you want real depth and you like reading ignore the other books in this list and get thomas mammoth history of the spanish civil war. The civil war that tore through spain in the mid1930s remains one of the most controversial subjects in the country today. There are some words you only expect to encounter in history books.
This anarchist site includes various articles on the spanish civil war, pamphlets, information on the participation of women, links to collections of pictures and posters, and a list of online books. His father was killed by franco s men during the civil war. A second revised edition was published by penguin books in 1965. Spanish civil war history is now magazine, podcasts, blog. It was one of the first to posit the idea that what was happening in the republican areas of spain was a fullon social revolution, and to analyse the. Thomas has understood the spanish civil war incredibly well and has written it superbly. Apr 01, 2019 the spanish civil war began in the summer of 1936, when army officers launched a coup against the countrys young republic. Spanish civil war war narratives, war narratives, books. We have made available several books on the spanish civil war in our online store. Home browse history military history wars, battles, and military interventions spanish civil war. What are some good books about the spanish civil war. Spains second republic 19311936, the spanish civil war 19361939 and the postwar years of the 1940s form the foci of this collection named for herbert rutledge southworth, who began collecting these materials systematically during the war. Id recommend this book to anybody who is curious about spains history, the roots. The spanish civil war was the curtainraiser to world war ii and involved a complex collection of forces, particularly on the republican side.
From the acclaimed, bestselling author adam hochschild, a sweeping history of the spanish civil war, told through a dozen characters, including ernest. May 29, 2016 following the end of the spanish civil war in 1939. First published in 1977, patrick turnbulls classic account of the spanish civil war is now available in the new menatarms series format. The main issues however is a lack of depth or true observation of the events. A valley of betrayal chronicles of the spanish civil war, book 1 by tricia goyer and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Discover librarianselected research resources on spanish civil war from the questia online library, including fulltext online books, academic journals, magazines, newspapers and more. George orwells spanish civil war memoir is a classic, but is. The spanish civil war took place from 1936 to 1939 and was fought between the republicans, who were loyal to the democratic, leftleaning second spanish republic, and the nationalists, a falangist group led by general francisco franco. I got into oxford but in those days there was little opportunity to study very much modern history. The americans soldiers of the spanish civil war the new.
No modern conflict has inflamed the passions of both civilians and intellectuals as much as the spanish civil war of 193639. Six books on the civil war these six histories of the civil war that are mustreads if you want to better understand the conflict. Dec 04, 2001 originally published in 1961, this is the definitive english language history of the spanish civil war, describing the major political and military events of the conflict in 600plus pages of narrative, with numerous maps, some photographs and appendices giving statistics of industrial production, imports and exports, military aid supplied by. The battle over the memory of the spanish civil war. The history and legacy of the controversial conflict that established francisco francos dictatorship in spain by charles river editors jun 26, 2018 4. A fresh and acclaimed account of the spanish civil war by the bestselling author of stalingrad and the fall of berlin 1945 to mark the 70th anniversary of the spanish civil wars outbreak, antony beevor has written a completely updated and revised account of one of the most bitter and hardfought wars of the twentieth century. The spanish civil war was a civil war in spain fought from 1936 to 1939. The spanish civil war began in the summer of 1936, when army officers launched a coup against the countrys young republic.
Its hectic, reiterative, unparagraphed, sparsely punctuated narrative is set in madrid in the first days of the civil war. In spanish history books, there are some blank pages, states francisco espinosa. The country suffered death, destruction, and repression on an unprecedented scale. I think it is down to the fact that i was born in liverpool in 1946 and liverpool had been really badly hit. Gibson has also written the biography of lorca, who was murdered during the spanish civil war aged 38 for, among other accusations, being a spy for the russians and homosexual. Homage to catalonia by george orwell, for whom the bell tolls by ernest hemingway, the battle for spain. A military history takes a new, military approach to the conflict that tore spain apart from 1936 to 1939 in many histories, the war has been treated as a primarily political event with the military narrative subsumed into a much broader picture of the spain of 19369 in which the chief themes are revolution and counterrevolution. Part of longmans seminar studies series, this book offers a compact introduction to the spanish civil war, covering such topics as international aid, terror tactics and the conflicts legacy. Us historyspanish civil war wikibooks, open books for. Our roundup of the best books on the spanish civil war, both fiction and.
Summary of the spanish civil war 3639 wikibooks, open. The best books on the spanish civil war five books. The tejada series by rebecca pawel are mysteries set during the spanish civil war. I am not a person who likes to be in charge, or to make decisions, or to impose myself. Available information suggests that there were about 500,000 deaths from all causes during the spanish civil war. Due to the international political climate at the time, the war had many facets and.