[.ca] The Gallant Cause: Canadians in the Spanish Civil War ... (ISBN 0470839260)

The Story Behind the Story:
I've always had an interest in the unfolding events of the Spanish Civil War of 1936-39, and I'm not even a socialist or communist. Go figure! Most history books portray this modern 20th century upheaval as a geopolitical sideshow that most European nations, with the exception of the Fascist states, refused to get involved. There is that general impression that the bloody outcome of this internal struggle between a Socialist government and the fascist insurgency had very little influence on world affairs at the time. From what Zuehlke discloses in his book, nothing could be further from the truth. This was a war that took over a million lives, enticed the Soviets, Germans and Italians to test out their military systems in preparation for WW II, and caused volunteers to sign up from all the world in defense of democracy and freedom. What makes this account stand out is the special emphasis the author places on the heroism of the little guys and gals who served and sacrificed their lives for a hopeless cause they barely understood. While Dr. Bethune's work in pioneering the mobile blood system comes in for some attention, the many stories involving the operation of the Mackenzie-Papineau company later in 1937, with the defense of Madrid, receives a fair bit of coverage. One major idea that surfaces in the account is the fact that the Republican side was badly divided between the Soviet-backed forces and the Socialist-supported POUM troops. Stalin was definitely seeking major political advantages in this war that would give the Soviets an important propaganda victory over the West. This goal was often realized by the simple means of rounding up and executing all of the other ragtag socialist groups competing for recognition in the turmoil. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to obtain a more balanced view of how individual Canadians contributed to the outcome of this war. It is this personal touch that makes "The Gallant Cause" a captivating read.