Unlikely Warriors - The British In The Spanish Civil War

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Details: When a Nationalist military uprising was launched in Spain in July 1936, the Spanish Republics desperate pleas for assistance from the leaders of Britain & France fell on deaf ears. Appalled at the prospect of another European democracy succumbing to fascism, volunteers from across the Continent & beyond flocked to Spains aid, many to join the International Brigades. More than 2, 500 of these men & women came from Britain, Ireland & the Commonwealth, & contrary to popular myth theirs was not an army of adventurers, poets & public school idealists. Overwhelmingly they hailed from modest working class backgrounds, leaving behind their livelihoods & their families to fight in a brutal civil war on foreign soil. Some 500 of them never returned home. In this inspiring & moving oral history, Richard Baxell weaves together a diverse array of testimony to tell the remarkable story of the Britons who took up arms against General Franco. Drawing on his own extensive interviews with survivors, research in archives across Britain, Spain & Russia, as well as first-hand accounts by writers both famous & unknown, Unlikely Warriors presents a startling new interpretation of the Spanish Civil War & follows a band of ordinary men & women who made an extraordinary choice. Ideal for: A fantastic & interesting read, highly recommended for history enthusiasts. This hardback book has 516 pages & measures: 24 x 16 x 4.6cm.