The Last Crusade: Spain 1936

by Warren H. Carroll

"Crusade" means a war for the sake of the Cross, a war to protect Christian people from persecution and death on account of their faith in Jesus Christ. Everyone has heard of the crusades of the Middle Ages. But few know of the crusade in our time, which living men still remember, fought for this same purpose only sixty years ago in Spain. In just six months of the year 1936, thirteen bishops and nearly seven thousand priests, seminarians, monks, and nuns were martyred in Spain by enemies of Christianity. It was the greatest clerical bloodletting in so short a span of time since the persecutions on the Church by the ancient Roman emperors. Already Pope John Paul II has beatified some two hundred of these martyrs. Tens of thousands of churches, chapels, and shrines in Spain were pillaged or destroyed. In response, faithful Spanish Catholics proclaimed a crusade. Against all odds the crusaders triumphed, and the Church and the Faith in Spain were saved. This is the story of that crusade, now honored in no other book in print in the English language. Most people who know of the Spanish Civil War do not understand why it was fought or how it was really won. This book will tell you. There is no story like it in the history of the twentieth century.

Genres: History, Catholic, Nonfiction, Spain, Religion, War, Politics

240 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2004

About the author

Dr. Warren H. Carroll was a leading conservative Catholic historian and author, and the founder of Christendom College.

Reviews

[The Ingenious Gentleman Don Quixote of La Mancha]

Almost seven thousand unarmed Spanish priests, nuns, and bishops were murdered by atheistic Marxist thugs in just six months of the year 1939. To put that in perspective, that's almost twice the number of people who were "relaxed to the secular arm" by the Spanish Inquisition over its 350-year existence. To use another writer's expression, it was a "Catholic holocaust."

Franco's concern for the Church was entirely reasonable, not only because of the many murdered priests and religious, but also because of the thousands of desecrated church buildings. Although the bulk of persecution happened after the military uprising, 1) priests were already being killed, 2) Church buildings were already being destroyed, 3) Catholic education had already been banned, 4) Church property was already being confiscated, and 5) religious orders had already been expelled before the military uprising began. Carroll portrays Franco as a "crusader" against Marxism. However, the fact that Franco killed his political opponents after the war ended (at least some whom were undoubtedly war criminals), and the fact that he accepted German and Italian aid (while the Republicans accepted the aid of the Soviet Union), is not overlooked by Carroll.

Carroll really has a knack for letting God shine through history. The Siege of the Alcázar in Toledo and the sacrifice of Colonel Moscardo's son is at the heart of the story. One can only shudder to imagine what would have come of Spain had it succumbed to the "Red Terror." Yes, there was an "elected" Republican government in power (if we ignore the electoral irregularities). But it had clearly lost control of the state and was doing nothing to stop the anarchic mob violence that had escalated out of control while Stalin watched with bated breath. Against all odds, the crusaders overcame their enemies, and the Alcázar never surrendered. What a great movie that would make!

[CasaJB · Rating 4 out of 5]

Giving this one five stars in spite of ludicrous mention of "Nazi death camps" and "the butchers and torturers of Hitler's concentration camps" among other kosher propaganda, and always backhanded appreciation (if any) shown for German support for the Nationalists during the war. Rich coming from someone who would undoubtedly count communism as one of the greatest scourges on humanity in history. And now that I think about it, not mention of the Jews once in this book, certainly not as instigators of war and torture and butchery and foremost enemies of the Catholic Church, which the author certainly supports. And "It ill behooves those who have never seen nor really tried to imagine the kind of horrors that were routine at Auschiwtz and Dachau and Treblinka from 1942 to 1945... to call for them to be left unpunished." Four stars (and not even sure I can do that in good conscience), but it is full of I believe valuable information and perspective. And turned into quite the page-burner. Came recommended by Pete Quinones in one of his podcasts.

[Joseph R. · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Spanish Civil War (1936-1939) is an event that generally goes ignored in American history classes. At most it is a sidebar leading up to World War II, explaining why Spain was not involved on either side. The country had been devastated by an internal war between pro-Carlist (supporters of the exiled Spanish royalty and of Spanish Catholic tradition) Nationalist forces and the pro-Communist, pro-cultural overthrow Republican forces. The Nationalists eventually won, though their main general, Francisco Franco, was declared head of state. A restoration of monarchy was seen as an impossibility but a strong leader was needed to put the country back together.

This book's main thesis is that the Spanish Civil War was the last crusade, a war fought by Christians to protect their liberties to worship and live in peace. After several regime changes and coups in the early 1930s, the Spanish government was lead Manuel Azana, a nominal Catholic with more political ambition than conviction. He was left-leaning and allowed Socialist, Communist, and anarchist groups to grow in power and influence throughout the government. Their plans were for a social revolution like the 1917 Russian Revolution. They would tear down society and rebuild it according to their own principles. Using government forces and revolutionary mobs, attacks on churches and religious people began. A group of traditionalist generals met and made plans for a military coup in case things got out of hand. By the summer of 1936, the plan was put into action.

The book goes to great lengths to document the deaths of priests, bishops, nuns, and seminarians at the hands of the Republican forces. The stories are interesting and worth remembering, especially since most people only crow about the unjust death of poet and homosexual Federico Garcia Lorca at the hands of Nationalist forces (one of many atrocities on the Nationalist side). Carroll goes to great length to document what happened, especially as it shows how far the Communist forces were willing to go to create a cultural revolution that would eliminate Catholicism from Spain.

The battles between various forces are also described, often quite vividly. The best part of the book covers the siege of the Alcazar in Toledo. Nationalist forces in the Alcazar (an ancient military fort on a hill in the city) had brought in supplies and their families when Republican forces took the city. They held out hope for the main Nationalist Army to liberate them. After three months of heavy fighting and many different intrigues (including an attempt to tunnel under the castle and blow it up with five tons of TNT), they were liberated.

The book is very well written and well documented. Carroll captures the various personalities vividly and tells the dramatic stories of those individuals. The book is unabashedly Catholic but also aware of its viewpoint. Carroll is aware of other viewpoints on the war and argues against them with documentation and reason. The book is a very enjoyable read and fills in a gap that most general histories ignore.


Sample Quote: On the atrocities committed by both sides during the Spanish Civil War

Only academics cut off from human reality by the walls of their study, invincible naivete or prejudice, could expect that crimes of the type already described here [the butchering of male and female religious and the desecration and destruction of churches] would not arouse at least in some men an anger so ferocious as to override all moral considerations, or that other men would not use these horrors as an excuse for moves to gain personal advantage or personal vengeance. Men are not angles. No cause purifies everyone who fights in its name. To a degree perhaps not surprising in an age which has so largely abandoned reason as well as faith, men have forgotten that the justice of a war is not determined by acts committed by any individuals during it. It is determined at the outset by the right or wrong of taking up arms, and the prospects for success with them.

The planners of the Spanish military uprising of July 1936 believed they could win quickly, with little bloodshed, and save Spain from the fate of Russia which so much evidence indicated it was about to share. With better planning and better fortune they might well have done so. It was a risk worth taking. The alternative was what actually happened: a devastating war that took more than 250,000 lives. [p. 96]

[JoséMaría BlancoWhite · Rating 5 out of 5]

Para ponerlo de una manera fácil: este libro es el que deberían leer las masas progres de España ya. Digo ya porque no paran de azuzar los sentimientos guerracivilistas, no paran de abanderar el victimismo de siempre. El partido de los pobres, de los obreros... no, el partido de los envidiosos, de los resentidos, de los vagos y los bandidos, de los inmorales y sin escrúpulos, de los que gritan ¡al ladrón, al ladrón! Cuando son ellos quienes roban. Cuando estalló la guerra civil estaban a la cabeza de las hordas, diciendo a las masas nazi-republicanas que se vengaran de... ¿de los ricos? No. De los que iban a misa, de los creyentes. Esa era la manera de señalarlos. Pero,¿ por qué no señalaban a los ricos? He aquí la eterna mentira del socialismo español. Porque los ricos eran ellos, y quien no lo era aspiraba a serlo pronto. El enemigo nunca fueron los ricos, sino los creyentes, la clase media que no presta oido a los altavoces de la izquierda nazional socialista. Y este libro va por las víctimas de los fanáticos, por los que sufren las consecuencias de agitar el odio entre las masas.

[Marc Pearce · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an excellent presentation of what was clearly a "just war" on behalf of the Nationalists, in light of the many atrocities committed by the Spanish Republic. A narrative that is rarely presented, mostly because die-hard supporters of the left, are too deluded, or embarrassed to admit that an extermination of Christians was carried out by their predecessors in "progressivism" (i.e. communists, socialists, and anarchists). Forget about "For Whom the Bell Tolls", and read this book if you want to get to the truth behind the Spanish Civil War.

[Mollie Osborne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very well-researched, but overall a pretty boring read. It is important to know the truth about the Spanish Civil War, its heroes, villains, and victims, but it reads like an extended chronology of events. I imagine there is a more interesting book out there on the subject.

[Paul Gaglio · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent account of the primary causes and the first year of the Spanish Civil War. Written from a pro Catholic perspective, it highlights numerous accounts of the Republican atrocities against Catholic clergy during the war. It is unbelievable that 7000 clergy were murdered and it is largely forgotten by the world today.

I was very impressed that the author was fair in his opinion of Franco. He explained what he felt was Franco’s shortcomings, especially after the war but still acknowledging that Franco saved Spain from being a Soviet Communist satellite state. Almost every American and British writer veers to the hard Left with their narrative regarding the Spanish Civil War. I have read Beevor’s account and you can pick up his leanings.

It is eerie reading this account and not noticing striking similarities between Spain in the 1930’s and the present day United States.

[. · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was too packed with confusing characters and facts for my taste.

[W.B. Habsburg · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has left a deep impresssion on me. I was raised having little awareness of Franco and the Spanish Civil War beyond an awareness that Franco should be discussed in the same sentence as Hitler. He was a bad man. A man that plunged Spain into wars and extrajudicial murders. A fascist. This book reveals that the other side of the story behind the war in Spain, a story of murdered priests and bishops. When one reads it it becomes clear what happened back in those days, anyone who has paid attention to the rapid attack instincts of the social justice warriors: back then they were not keyboard warriors, but the republican government had foolishly handed them guns. They went out and executed anyone who had ever indicated sympathy for a world view to which they are intolerant: elderly nuns included.

This is a particurly scary book to read given the fault lines running through what remains of western society. Once again we find ourselves with revolutionary socialists chomping at the bit to take control of government, with plans to utterly destroy anything that resembles a tradition. Read this book and ponder which side you would fight for if and when the wheel of fate completes it's turn. Would you have stood with those who killed nuns and burnt architectural marvels? Most of your countrymen probably did, and most of our governments and elites still do. Where would you stand? Decisions over moral crises are rarely as simple as they are made out today.

While I will need to read an account of the war presenting the case for the republican side, from what I understand, there will be no shortage of available sources. This is reputed to be the only english language account telling the story from the perspective of the nationalists. It is neither a long book, nor tedious to read. Indeed, it's quite gripping, especially when he presents the story of the Siege of the Alcázar. If you can handle your world view being shaken, given it a try.

[Alexis · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was disappointed with this book, not with the content, but with the writing itself. It was too packed with facts and any opinion or explanation of those facts seemed to one-sided to me - and that is coming from someone who is very interested in this subject matter and believes that Spain was saved from the communist regime that was trying to expand in the early part of the 20th century, no matter what the cost.

There was a lack of connection to the characters, I think as a result of too much focus on facts and figures.

It does, however, whet my appetite for more information and study on the subject.

So, the "it was ok" rating is truly that. Not a bad book as many might think two stars means.

If you are interested in the Spanish Civil War, it is an important read.

[Shane Hill · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent and refreshing read of the Spanish Civil war from the perspective of the good guys on the Right versus the usual rubbish out there supporting the commie leftists....both sides committed atrocities but the rights bad moment pale in comparison to what the left did...but the left controls the narrative and all we have ever heard is how bad Franco was...nothing has changed...the Left still controls the narrative to this day and all we hear is how bad the center right is and what angels the left are...

[Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

While the book's contents were quite fascinating to me, I found it quite difficult to read the entire work in one go. Of course, one cannot be expected to do so in one sitting, but doing so even over several days or weeks seemed arduous. I still give the work four stars, even if it took me several months to read it, piece-by-piece. I still recommend it, but don't expect to stay up all night, not wanting to put this book down!

[Ian Minielly · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a challenge. I did well in school. I did well in college. I have arguably continued to learn throughout life to this point in my fifties. What did I know about the Spanish Civil War before this book? Almost nothing. I knew the name Franco and know the accusations of Fascists and how they were not involved in World War II. That is about it.

This book will take your ignorance, which is probably in the same ball park mine was, and throw it on the ground and curb stomp it. This book is horrendous. While I am certainly no Catholic Church apologist, the Catholics fought for their life in Spain and won, while horrible crimes were committed against the priests and nuns and churches.

Much of the groundwork and background leading up to the Civil War in Spain and the rhetoric involved in the secular state's attempted take over in Spain are on display in the United States right now. While I hope the US avoids another Civil War, it is clear the secular state only knows one thing. violence and suppression of the truth so it can wield raw power against any and all who would stand up for the real truth. This is a good book. It is a prelude. I find it unlikely the US survives the same efforts.

[Haru Fujimura · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book should be required in all 50 States of America, in all schools, public and private, as required reading.

This history of how the tale of the spanish crusade was suppressed in media outside of spain is, in a word, vile. The nature of the conflict, serves not only as an excellent case study in communist takeover, combining their use of anarchists (creating a problem) with their implementation of totalitarian government (solution), but also of a classroom study of how conflicts actually intensify, when not to trust the government, and the dangers of factionism when dealing out justice. While certainly the book makes the case for Franco as a protagonist, it could be a bit more thorough in the exploration of more of the war crimes, simply as a way to shore up all of the bases.

The author points correctly that it is niether christian nor good strategy to constantly worry about hurting your enemies who are trying to kill you and innocents. Unfortunately, the book is a bit out of touch, and this conflict underlies spanish politics even to this day, in the same manner of Alsace Lorraine being the real driver of french politics in the early 20th century etc..

[Jon Terry · Rating 3 out of 5]

I went into this knowing nothing about the Spanish civil war (pretty sure I wasn't even aware that it had happened). So I learned a lot, but I was often lost in the details, I think largely due to the target audience being folks that have some familiarity with Spain's history.

The Spanish civil war was primarily Catholics/Nationalists vs Communists, Socialists and (oddly enough) Anarchists. Carroll is Catholic, and is very clear that he's writing from a perspective sympathetic to that side. He argues that this is needed, as the majority of histories on the subject have been written from the pro-Socialist perspective, which is now the dominant perspective in Spain.

A few high-level details:
- The communist side executed (often brutally) many priests, nuns, and devotees simply for their devotion. The communists intent was to ensure the Catholicism was no longer a significant force in Spain.
- Stalin provided reinforcements to the Communist side, and Hitler provided reinforcements to the Catholic side.
- Franco, who led the Catholic side to victory, ruled Spain with an iron fist until his death a few decades later.

[Jayce Van Haren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really solid book. As an American, I felt I’ve known little to nothing about the Spanish Civil War and it’s seems to be something glossed over. It shouldn’t be.

This book is aptly named the Last Crusade and talks about the conflict that developed between the Spanish revolutionaries who formed the Spanish Republic and the faithful traditionally Catholic who launched, in their view, a crusade against an evil and corrupt ideology which had thousands committing murders and atrocities of the faithful.

The standout her is Francisco Franco & the brave defenders of the Alcazar of Toledo. Franco is not looked upon fondly in history and this book attempts to restore his name. I found his decision making to be justifiable and honorable in most parts. He was not perfect but I felt he is wrongly spit at in modern history.

The truly amazing story here is the story of the Alcazar of Toledo. I won’t spoil it but please read it.

I’d highly recommend this book to faithful Christians and history buffs alike.

[Steven Yoder · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I was in school I was taught that the Spanish Civil War pitted freedom loving democrats against fascists. The Last Crusade told another side and really opened my eyes. In reality, the Republican forces were supplied by and largely controlled by communists from the Soviet Union. The war really started when the communists began to slaughter priests, nuns, bishops, and lay people. Hundreds of churches were purposefully destroyed because the communist leaders wanted to eliminate the Catholic Church. Franco led the Nationalist forces and the war became a religious war to save Catholicism. Christian Catholics suffered terribly from torture before being executed. Franco's forces could not get supplies and weapons from any sources other than Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy. Yet, when Germany wanted Spain to support them during WWII, Franco turned them down and the country became a haven for people, especially Jews to escape the Nazis. It was a very eye-opening read.

[Oakley C. · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is something refreshing about partisan history. The author sets out to prove that the early anti-Catholic massacres in Republican Spain at the onset of the Spanish Civil War (and the concomitant Carlisle response) amounts to nothing less than a divine crusade against God’s enemies. There is no beating around the bush with this nor is their newly mouthed apology. However, I also find that Carroll is neither overly dramatic in his illustrations (although he does have a flair for color and tone) nor does he paint every Republican as being a clone of Largo Caballero. The Spanish Civil War (and the historiography around it) proves the falsity of the cliche that “history is written by the winners.” If such were the case then the overwhelmingly anti-Francoist screeds would not be populating so many bookshelves. Instead history is written by those who care to take on the task.

[Dan S · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nearly 7,000 clergy from bishops, to priests to nuns to seminarians, were martyred by radical revolutionary communist, anarchist and socialist forces. This was the greatest bloodletting in the history of Christendom. Worse than the French Revolution or the Revolution in Petrograd in 1917. Tens of thousands of churches, chapels and shrines in Spain were destroyed.

This is the story of the last crusade, where Christendom came out victorious against the demonic forces of the Soviet Union (and yes, this was a Soviet proxy war as evidenced by Stalin dictating strategy, forcing out the socialist PM and the Spanish Popular Front government shipping the Soviet’s each and every bar of gold they held in their vast stores).

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a Catholic, I've always wanted to learn history through the lens of Catholics. This did a good job at that. This would be a good book for historians and for Catholics. It does a good job at keeping track of dates and events while also telling the story of Martyrs. It can get a little confusing because there is a lot going on, so there's a lot of names being thrown around. I would totally give this book to any Catholic intrerested.

[Greg Benham · Rating 4 out of 5]

Highly informative.

[Jeff Noble · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely fantastic.

[Jack · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well written non-fiction. Easy to read. Important subject. Interesting perspective.