SPAIN’S CIVIL WAR

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 154, 26 March 1938, Page 6 (Supplement)

SPAIN’S CIVIL WAR

A Journalist’s Graphic Account "The March of a Nation,” by Harold G. Cardozo (London: Eyre and Spottiswoode). This excellently-written and graphic account of a year of Spain’s civil war opens with a brief resume of the situation in Spain when, on July 19, 1936, the author received instructions from his editor “to go to Spain and find out what was happening.” Mr. Cardozo acted as special correspondent of the “Daily Mall” with the Nationalist forces in Spain, and “The March of a Nation” is described as “the first authoritative account of the Spanish war.” It is generously illustrated with photographs which speak with silent eloquence of the terrors of civil war, and also show some of the most notable figures taking part, the frontispiece being an arresting picture of General Franco. The book is devoid of sensationalism. It needs none. It is a comprehensive review embracing the beauty of the Spanish countryside as well as the configuration which determined the tactics of the opposing forces, the underlying struggle, “more powerful because it was unsuspected even by the persons themselves,” that goes to the making of the Spanish character, the fervent love of country which animates the true leaders of Spain, and the day by day movements of the Nationalist forces, interwoven with little sketches of the great men of the war and innumerable incidents showing the mass of the Spanish people, their sufferings and their reaction, to the struggle. The description of the relief of the Alcazar at Toledo is a moving piece of writing to which justice cannot be done in a brief review—-the plans for the relief, the conflicting stories as to the actual state of affairs in Toledo, the progress, through roads bearing witness to the unspeakable horrors of war, and finally the relief of the garrison who had forgotten how to smile. Mr. Cardozo describes them as: —

. . like figures taken from some mystic picture bv El Greco. They had that ghostly pale-green colour, that gaunt expression and that far-away mysterious look In the eye which the great Spanish painter alone excelled in. One hardly expected to hear them talk or see them move.

Space forbids the delightful picture of the one person who smiled, the golden-haired daughter of the intendant of the Alcazar. “Never,” says the author, “have I seen a beautiful girl so grimy.” One cannot think of washing when there is barely enough water to quench one’s thirst. Towards the end of the book the author touches on a much-debated subject.

There are people in Imndon, but especially in Paris, who have tried to make our flesh creep by extravagant stories as to how Italy and Germany are securing a political foothold in the Iberian peninsula. I would recommend to.all such that they pay a month's visit to Spain and talk to Spaniards. Spain has always been Impervious to foreign influence, and in fact, often not very grateful for foreign aid. Spain is intensely nationalistic and individualistic. The moment the war is over the Spaniards will thank their foreign allies and will point to the harbours where the transports, duly beflagged, will be waiting for them. And as for territorial concessions or zones of Influence in the Balearic Islands or in Morocco, that is all stuff and nonsense. i.

For the intelligent general reader “The March of a Nation” comes at an opportune moment. Although its sympathies are, of course, with the Nationalists all through, it gives a clear sum-ming-up of the operations wliich have led to the . present situation, besides throwing interesting sidelights on the nature of the country and the varying character of the people of Spain.