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The Battle for Spain

The Spanish Civil War 1936-1939

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The Battle for Spain

By: Antony Beevor
Narrated by: Sean Barrett
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Summary

 The civil war that tore Spain apart between 1936 and 1939 and attracted liberals and socialists from across the world to support the cause against Franco was one of the most hard-fought and bitterest conflicts of the 20th century: a war of atrocities and political genocide and a military testing ground before WWII for the Russians, Italians and Germans, whose Condor Legion so notoriously destroyed Guernica.

Antony Beevor's account narrates the origins of the Civil War and its violent and dramatic course from the coup d'etat in July 1936 through the savage fighting of the next three years which ended in catastrophic defeat for the Republicans in 1939. And he succeeds especially well in unravelling the complex political and regional forces that played such an important part in the origins and history of the war.

Read by Sean Barrett

(p) 2011 Isis Publishing Ltd©2006 Antony Beevor 20th Century Europe Military Modern Spain War Interwar Period Imperialism Russia Soviet Union Middle Ages Latin American Civil War Socialism Winston Churchill Liberalism Africa Royalty Capitalism
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Critic reviews

Fascination lies in the human drama, superbly captured by Beevor ... a vivid chronicle of a dreadful time and place (Max Hastings)
In many ways it's his most impressive book to date because he coolly makes sense of such a complicated story: the narrative sweep is consummate, the seamless use of so many sources masterful, and the eye for details makes it a superb read (Simon Sebag Montefiore)
An admirably clear-sighted account ... a great achievement (Miranda France)
A moving masterpiece of the indictment of war (Felipe Fernández-Armesto)
A gripping, revelatory account
This is an enthralling book. The narrative is masterly, wonderfully clear as a guide through the labyrinth. It is even-tempered and full of good sense ... It is admirable
It is an admirably clear-sighted account. What Beevor does so well is to place the war in the context of Spanish history and world politics ... Beevor's understanding of warfare and tactics is second to none ... This is a great achievement
A very different book, which displays all Beevor's exceptional narrative skills and literary flair. The story he tells is grimly familiar, but he presents it with a freshness, an eye for detail and a degree of detachment that makes this one of the best accounts to date of the Spanish crisis
Antony Beevor's revised history of the Civil War, which vividly anatomises a state and a society in the process of disintegration, is a tract for our times ... Above all, he has Beevorised the book, given it the richness of detail and the narrative drive that made Stalingrad such a success
For the big picture of the war, all the more powerful for its blending of narrative intensity with emotional restraint, there is no rival to Antony Beevor's masterly The Battle for Spain
The Battle for Spain looks likely to become the standard account of the conflict for at least the next generation
All stars
Most relevant
I enjoyed this book. The narration is easy on the ear and pitched at the right tempo and tone for the subject matter.
My only criticism is that no mention is made of how Franco treated the Moroccan army or anyone who did not fit in with his "White Spanish" vision. I suppose it's technically after the war but zero mention is made when other aftermath aspects are.
Still enjoyed it though and recommend it if the subject title interests you.

A proper detailed look at this overlooked war

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Move swiftly, so some cursory knowledge of the conflict ahead of listening is useful. Would have liked some PDF’s of maps and list of characters. Seems to be a widely referenced account of the war, so if you’re truly interested in the period I recommend it. Though I would understand if some find it difficult of keep track of what’s happening.

Overall a robust and worthy listen

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Fascinating account of tge Spanish Civil War. Well written and well read. Covers tge background, the conflict and the afternath. interesting chapter on the propaganda War as well.

Fascinating account of the Spanish Civil War.

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I have had an interest in the Spanish Civil War for a while, but had a very one-sided view of it, as most of my understanding came from accounts of those who served with the XV international brigade. What many of those accounts neglected was historical context, or more importantly the machinations of the USSR and its supporters that contributed to the collapse of the
republic. While this book does deep dive into political manoeuvring and intrigue on both sides, it is important for aiding understanding as to why events took the course they did. At a time when we have various wars continuing, it's chilling to see certain actions repeated over and over again. Any student of the history of 20th century, WW2 and the rise and fall of communism should read this book.

A fascinating read

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Always enjoy Antony beavers books and this one was up there with the others . would recommend too anyone looking to no more about the subject .

Antony Beaver brilliant as always.

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