The Spanish Civil War: A Very Short Introduction

by Helen Graham

Book Overview

Amid the many catastrophes of the twentieth century, the Spanish Civil War continues to exert a particular fascination among history buffs and the lay-reader alike. This Very Short Introduction integrates the political, social and cultural history of the Spanish Civil War. It sets out the domestic and international context of the war for a general readership. In addition to tracing the course of war, the book locates the war's origins in the cumulative...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0192803778
• ISBN13: 9780192803771
• Release Date: June 2005
• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Length: 192 Pages
• Weight: 0.37 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 4.5" x 6.9"

Customer Reviews

Great Introduction to a Complicated Topic

I read this book after having read several literary accounts of the Spanish Civil War and studied it in the context of European history. I wanted to flesh out my historical understanding of the war. It was perfect for that. It showed a real sensitivity to the nuances of Spain. It was written with engaging, academic prose (as opposed to dry, high-brow academic prose). To paint a complete picture of the war Graham used examples from sweeping impersonal policy decisions to anecdotal evidence of how various types of Spaniards experienced the war and its aftermath. To me, it seemed masterful the way she seamlessly integrated the general and the particular. The topic is highly complicated so this short introduction is dense for a good reason. Graham did a very good job of compressing the major issues into compact, but complete chapters. The organization of the book is rational and stimulating. Graham includes the essential elements to understanding the war on political, historical, cultural and personal levels and leaves out everything else. I was surprised to see such negative reviews for this book. Perhaps it is worth pointing out that this is definitively a work of history. And, although it's an introduction, it is not elementary. It's a serious study that makes a significant argument. The book undoubtedly reflects Graham's pro-Republican (Republican refers to the Spanish government that fought Franco's forces in the war) leaning. Even though I generally share her sentiments, at times it seemed like she could have reined in her bias. But, I don't think is a legitimate reason to condemn the book. Early in the book, you'll key into her sympathies and that will inform your reading of the rest of the book. In short, this is a great introduction to a fascinating subject. After reading the book you will have a robust, if not profound, understanding of the war. It's a great book in itself. But it could also serve as a firm jumping off point for doing further reading about the war. I highly recommend it to anyone interested in Spain, 20th century European history, civil wars or fascism.

One of the very best introductory books on the Spanish civil war

As one of the foremost scholars of the spanish civil war , Graham cogently sumarized various aspects of war and related them with the present , namely , how post-war Spain perceived the war and its impact on the modern day Spain. Especially helpful was the bibiliography that surely gives the direction of reading for those who want to know more about the Spanish civil war. The downside of the book is , as one reviewer mentioned, Graham tend to minimize the cover on CNT-FAI and Anarchist activities as many other scholars have done so far despete Anarchists contribution and controversial collectives would have been very interesting subjects.

On a whole, good.

Taken for what it is, this book is very good. As the tital suggests, it really is nothing more than "A very short introduction" to be considered as a jumping off point for further studies. It does not go into depth but rather highlights the key events of the civil war. It does a particularly good job of explaining the tacit war of politics taking place between France, Italy, Germany, and Russia surrounding the conflict in Spain. There are parts of the book that seem to wander a bit, but on a whole I don't think you could ask for a more accessible introduction to the Spanish Civil War.

A Very Detailed Introduction

This is one of the best books on the Spanish Civil War I have ever had. Not only does it do a great job at explaining the events before and during the war, but it dares to dive into the events afterwards. The major battles, the political parties, and the prisons. It also has a huge list of books for further reading and a great time line. I would suggest it for any person interested in Spain or history in general. Helen Graham has done a great job.

A Very Substantial Introduction

There's so much material in this little book that I had to read it twice: the first time I was overwhelmed. There's an 8 page chronology at the back of the book which I suggest reading first, to get an overview of the flow of events. I had arrived at this book after reading Rudolf Rocker's "The Tragedy of Spain" and Colin Ward's "Anarchism: A Very Short Introduction", both of which discuss the role of the anarcho-syndicalist trade-union CNT in this civil war. The Wikipdea entry "Anarchism in Spain" also presents a significant role for the CNT in the Spanish Civil War. Graham references the CNT in a number of places but in minor ways, so I'm left uncertain as to whether they played as large a role as Rocker and Ward indicate. Graham notes some conflicts between the CNT and socialist groups which interfered with their working together effectively. Without help from England, France, and the United States and with limited help from the Soviet Union, the Left in Spain was at a huge disadvantage, given Italy and Germany's support of Franco. It seemed remarkable that the Left was able to fight for as long as it did. I don't recall studying anything about this civil war in school, let alone knowing how much was involved. The relevance seems high: a country in which conservatives and liberals were in serious conflict. The conservatives started a war. A sobering lesson: bombing of, imprisonment of and execution of liberals. The conservatives won. Graham has done her job in this introduction: I'm encouraged to read more about the Spanish Civil War. Graham provides 5 pages of further reading which includes some websites (3 in Spanish 2 in English).