Yes. But it is simply not true to say that "the ideology we opposed did not come to power".
The politics of the time before the civil war are indeed rather murky. For example if I recall Largo Caballero was the leader of the PSOE not the PCE. Further Caballero's speeches were worrying both his republican allies and his communist allies while Soviet support of the Republic wasn't given the nod by Stalin until September 1936.
You are correct, however in saying that the communists (that is the parties that were increasingly in thrall to the communists) were a force in the 1936 elections. The Comintern had been busy for years and troubled times breed radicalism. Complete unity between the other left-wing factions would have been necessary to contol them, an unlikely possibility. However prior to 1936, in the early days of the Republic when the seeds of civil war were sown, the communists were far less of an influence.
With the rise of the radicals at both ends of the political spectrums came the rise of the paramilitaries, on the one hand the Falangist and other right wing groups and then on the other, with the forces of government seeming increasingly impotent, those of the left, such as the communist MAOC. Already both sides were busy buying weapons.
The readiness and relative discipline of the communist militias made them a natural cadre for the Republic during the civil war especially since the better equipped and more eperienced elements of the pre-war army the tended to side with the facists. Hence as the war lengthened the armed forces of the Republic became increasingly communist controlled. By the end they were in a large part independent of the government and much more powerful.
One of the reasons that the Republic had to beholden itself to the USSR is that no one else would help. The fact is that the UK was more worried by a democratic but left-wing government than a facist coup resulting in a dictatorship. The Royal Navy even blockaded Republican ports while letting the Nationalist move at will. Concrete evidence of German and Italian involvment on the facist side was ignored despite the Non-Intervention Pact. Pah, we did much the same in 1939. Impotence in the face of militant facism coupled with a deep fear of communism. The UK wasn't the only one: IIRC the US refused to sell oil to the Republic.
Last edited by Slyspy; 08-26-2008 at 19:58.
"Put 'em in blue coats, put 'em in red coats, the bastards will run all the same!"
"The English are a strange people....They came here in the morning, looked at the wall, walked over it, killed the garrison and returned to breakfast. What can withstand them?"
Um, ok so we can all agree that neither of the two sides were any good for Spain?
Or are some people actually in support of commies? If that is the case you are just as strange as those who support fascists...
Sig by Durango
-Oscar WildeNow that the House of Commons is trying to become useful, it does a great deal of harm.
How can you ignore free will so completely? Instead of becoming what he became, Franco could've used his drive and ambition to becoming a champion for a fair and democratic country! But, since he was a complete, he did not and instead he devoted his time to being a petty murderer instead of a great leader.
You "recognize it as a flaw"...?
Pray tell, what can a government do that is worse than killing off their own population...?
I can't speak for anyone but myself, of course, but I'm solely in support of the democratic powers. You know, the ones who aren't murderers.
Last edited by Banquo's Ghost; 08-27-2008 at 06:59.
Still maintain that crying on the pitch should warrant a 3 match ban
HoreTore, what democratic powers?
Still maintain that crying on the pitch should warrant a 3 match ban
Sig by Durango
-Oscar WildeNow that the House of Commons is trying to become useful, it does a great deal of harm.
Rest in Peace TosaInu, the Org will be your legacy
Originally Posted by Leon Blum - For All Mankind
read and learn:
spains ideology in isolation matters not one jot (when we consider only the extremes), what matters is spains ideology when we face the potential of nuclear holocaust due the cold war going 'bad' from an opposing ideology.Originally Posted by Me
do i think the West's life would have been easier/better with a commie fifth-column in NATO's rear? no.
Last edited by JR-; 08-27-2008 at 10:13.
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