The involvement of the International Brigades in the Spanish Civil War :: European Europe History

The involve temptforcet of the multinational Brigades in the Spanish Civil WarOn the 18 July 1936, starring(p) Generals of the Spanish Army led a revolt against the democratically choose Popular Front government of Spain. Within days the country was plunged into polished war with the Republicans fighting the insurgent Nationalists for control of the country. The various democracies of the world dark their backs on Spains plight and even hindered the Republicans by supporting non-intervention in the conflict. However, some people came to help the Republic. Las Brigades Internacionales, the global Brigades, would eventually include almost 40,000 men and women from 53 different countries, from all around the world.The International Brigades began as an thought process in July and August of 1936, but soon its formation became the main work of the Comintern (the body with the responsibility of fostering the world-wide spread of Communism). Each Communist caller was instructed to raise volunteers who would be sent to Spain by engineer or boat. rough 60% of the volunteers were Communists, but non-Communists were also welcomed. The first group of recruits came to Spain by train from Paris, and arrived at their base in Albacete, halfway between Madrid and Valencia, on the 14th of October. It was there that the 500 French, German and Polish recruits began reproduction. The theme of the enlisting propaganda was based on the slogan that Spain should be The grave of European Fascism, and with this in mind volunteers continued to flow into Spain from France. One of the organisers of recruits in Paris was the futurity Marshal Tito - Joseph Broz. In Albacete the volunteers were organised into language groups and the base was put nether the command of Andre Marty. The Brigades were to be led by General Emilio Kleber and intensive training was to take place in the base before going to the front.The International Brigades baptism of fire came on the 8th of November 1936, when the XIth and XIIth Brigades went to the Madrid front. They numbered about 3,500 men altogether, and were extremely important to the defence of Madrid. The fighting in Madrid eventually reached blind alley and the Brigades were transferred to other fronts. The XI, XIII and XV Brigades fought at the Brunete offensive of July 1937, where losses were precise high, and where Oliver Law, the Afro- American commander of the Lincoln Battalion was killed. The Brigades also played a major part in the Aragon offensive of August 1937, and were formally merged into the Republican Army around this time.