"Los otros internacionales" Unknown foreign volunteers of the Nationalist side 1936-1939. By Jose Luis Mesa. Ediciones Barbarroja. 2450 pts. Spanish text. illustr.

A very interesting approach to the foreign citizens fighting alongside Franco. This author and the publishing company are well known among SCW and WWII enthusiasts for other works relating to fascist, nazi, and extreme right units from all over the world in their "crusade" against communism. Among J.L. Mesa SCW books is the quite remarkable and highly recommended "El regreso de las legiones" on the Italian CTV.

"Los otros internacionales" is a very accurate review of a few thousand nationalist foreign volunteers, with lots of information on personalities and special units or national groups as the Irish Brigade, the French Jeanne d'Arc company, the Portuguese "Viriatos", the Romanian Legion of Archangel San Miguel (later Iron Guard) and others (even Japanese). Well documented details on multinational units as the Bandera de Falange de Marruecos with Muslims from Morocco, North African Jew's, and European Protestants and Catholics; also very interesting is the participation of a bunch of White Russians alongside the traditionalist Requetes.

There's a deep research on many individuals in the Foreign Tercio (Legion) either signing before the war as pure mercenaries or during the war for political purposes. Notices of South Americans, Europeans, Egyptians, Turk's, and other soldiers and officers from dozens of nationalities.

A book written from the extreme right side, although not to be considered as fascist propaganda, but as good research and quite accurate of many unknown facts.

"Un coronel Ilamado Segismundo. Mentiras y misterios de la guerra de Stalin en Espana" by Francisco-Felix Montiel. Ed. Criterio Libros 1998. 2500 ptas.

I must confess I was absolutely shocked after reading this book, not being able to say if there's a portion of fiction or there's new light on the 1939 coup by Segismundo Casado's. The author is a former member of the propaganda central committee of the Spanish Communist Party (now an anti-communist), professor at different Law Universities, direct witness of many unknown meetings between colonel Casado and the Communist Party during 1939, waiving written documents, other personalities statements, and questions relating the nomination of Casado as Head of the Central Army by the PCE Government, with full knowledge by the latter of Casado insurgent intentions.

As you may be aware, Casado was the head of the final coup against the Communist supported Negrin government, which lead to the end of the war. The author states that such a coup was prepared as an "X-File conspiracy" by the Kommitern in order to avoid possible negotiations between Republicans supported by the British and the Nationalist. According to the author, the Stalin-Hitler Molotov Agreement signed late 1939 was already very advanced, and Stalin wanted on one side to avoid any possible influence of the British within Spain, and if possible to push France and Britain against Germany as soon as possible. On the other side, the SCW being the main shop window for the world antifascism, the Communist Party nor could end the warn either be the last government liable for letting the Spanish democracy to fall into Franco's hands.

So, the PCE decided to arrange a huge political manoeuvre, dropping in their enemies hands (Casado, the socialist and the libertarians) the political power, but making the Republican army disappear (under their full control) within a few days, with the result of leaving all responsibility to Casado for the end of the war (communist propaganda started to continue the fight), forcing him to surrender without conditions, as he had no army support to include in his negotiations with France, and the British Embassy was pushed aside without a role in final negotiations. The coup was made only using IVth Corps units under Cipriano Mera (CNT) command, against three powerful communist Army Corps fully controlled by the PCE.

Among the most interesting documents there are references on the reaction against the coup by Madrid communist members not aware of the Central Committee intentions, and the repression against them not only by Cipriano Mera's men, but also by the air force under communist hands, the non intervention of the Tanks corps and the "Guerrilleros" shock units (also leaded by Communists), and the good-man and negotiator role of the well known GPU (Moscow secret service) and PCE member Colonel Antonio Ortega, Head of the IIIrd Army Corp, to deal between counterinsurgent communists and the Consejo Nacional de Defensa of Casado. Ortega delivered Barcelo and the communist counterinsurgents to Casado just to be shot.

There is also evidence and reference showing that the PCE Central Committee already knew the date of the coup, informing Casado of the meeting to be held by of all Government members and the communist HQ of the Army at Elda (near Alicante), and that several planes were booked and prepared in advance (Monovar airport) to fly them to France on the same date, and how the PCE "abandon" their comrades in Madrid, or even instructed to stop them.

The revisionism of history is to be taken very carefully, as it introduces new facts absolutely new and few contrasted. But the truth is that there are too many contradictions in the behaviour of the Communist Party in the last days of the Spanish Republic, too many questions without a proper answer, too many facts without explanation, and direct witnesses (among them the Communist Minister Jesus Hernandez, later a fierce anti communist) who argues not only the possibility, but the documented statement that the whole thing had been prepared by the Communist Party. Worth reading.

Book Reviews

Two SCW Books
L'Aviation de Chasse de la Republique Espagnole
L'Espoir Guidait leurs Pas : Les Volontaires Francais dans les Brigades Internationales