Ana’s Reviews > The Spanish Civil War > Status Update

'The International Brigades now had their first rest from action. The volunteers had discovered in battle that "a war of ideas" is much the same as any other conflict. In Spain as elsewhere there was confusion of orders, jamming of rifles at the critical moment, uncertainty about the whereabouts of the enemy and of headquarters, desire for cigarettes (or sweet-tasting things), fatigue, occasional hysteria.'

'Hull said that America had no law against aid to Spain – only a policy of "moral aloofness".'

'Both [Germany and Italy], especially the former, gained the impression that the "Young General" was both able and likely to be influenced by them. They decided this without perhaps taking adequate account of the power wielded over Franco by his wife, a fervent Catholic who increasingly saw her husband as the leader chosen by God to save Spain from the enemies of the Church.'

'Such breaches of [France's] non-intervention were officially excused as caused by "errors of navigation".'

'Just as the 1850s were the great age of the Ambassador, so were the 1930s the great age of the foreign correspondent.'

'In 1937, the Fuehrer gave yet another explanation: Germany needed Spanish iron ore, and a Nationalist government would make this available to Germany, whereas a left-wing one would not.'

'The [French] Prime Minister was torn between his pacifism and his desire to help the Republic. Never has the dilemma of the intellectual in politics been more cruelly posed.'

'Among intellectuals of the [English] Left, Spain became immediately the central point of life, work and artistic inspiration.'

'But to another journalist [Azaña] admitted more accurately, "Sol y sombra! Light and shade! That is Spain."'

'"Café gossip," answered Azaña. "I heard it in the Cortes," returned Fischer. "Ah, that's one big café," replied Azaña'