"The People's Army in the Spanish Civil War" Topic

"Many excellent books have been written about the Spanish Civil War. From the classics by Hemmingway and Orwell to secondary studies by Preston, Beevor et al. There have been memoirs, and biographies and organisations like the International Brigades Memorial Trust ensure we do not forget the sacrifices that so many people from around the world made in defence of democracy.

What we don't have are many military histories of the conflict. Charles Esdaile's ‘The Spanish Civil War: A Military History' is a recent contribution as is a new book by Alexander Clifford 'The People's Army in the Spanish Civil War', which focuses on the wider People's Army, not just the International Brigades…"

Full Review here
link

Amicalement
Armand

Have not read the book but read the article. The Republicans had the best tanks T-26s and BT-7. For the majority of the war they had the best fighters planes I-15s and I-16s vs Cr-32 and He-51. They had a more fighting men. What they lacked was a professional fighting force (Spanish Legion) and leadership.

Have not read the book but read the article. The Republicans had the best tanks T-26s and BT-7 vs PzI and CV33. For the majority of the war they had the best fighters planes I-15s and I-16s vs Cr-32 and He-51. They had a more fighting men. What they lacked was a professional fighting force (Spanish Legion) and leadership.

(smile)

Amicalement
Armand

Ive just finished reading this one. I think its absolutely superb.

It glosses over a lot of the war from the Republican side,omitting the milicias and such like any more than just a tipping of the cap, but then that is not the focus of the book.

Its main areas are the development of the Peoples Army from the ground up and their breakneck development into an armed force capable of taking on a professional military. This focusses on the three main Republican strategic level attacks of Belchite, Brunete and Teruel.

Until this book I have to be hionest and say that Id never read another recounting of the Battle of Teruel that I found even remotely interesting BUT Clifford takes you right down into the trenches (per se) with the international brigades as they attempt to hold back Franco's forces and it makes your heart bleed for them…and then of course the armoured attack at Fuentes de Ebro just makes you want to bitch slap the Republican command on the back of the head.

This book,because of all the first hand accounts in it is extremely evocative and whilst not telling all it certainly shines a spotlight on a specific period in the Republican Army's history…

Well worth the read!