Spanish Civil War

An interview from 2007 with Sam Lesser, one of last surviving British veterans of the Spanish Civil War.

Hugh Purcell tells how Kitty Bowler, a young American, captured the heart of Tom Wintringham, the 'English Captain' at Jarama.

The British Battalion of the International Brigades, formed to defend the Spanish Republic against the forces of General Franco, first went into battle at Jarama in February 1937. It was the beginning of a bruising, often dispiriting campaign, as Christopher Farman explains.

The Spanish Civil War began on July 18th, 1936, with an army revolt led by Franco. Here, Michael Alpert charts the ebb and flow of battle between Republicans and Nationalists throughout the conflict.

Security Service files released online, today, by The National Archives reveal that more British and Irish volunteers fought in the Spanish Civil War than was previously thought.

Julius Ruiz evaluates Franco’s role during the conflict.

Paul Preston remembers the journalist and Basque sympathizer who broke the news of the bombing of Guernica, and whose impassioned reports from the front in the Spanish Civil War did much to draw the attention of the world to the conflict.

Peter Anderson identifies the groups, the grievances and the events which started the war.

Paul Preston looks at the continued interest in the 1930s conflict, the subject of a new exhibition at the Imperial War Museum.

It is often said that the 'ifs of history' are fascinating but fruitless. Here, Rob Stradling shows that a counter-factual consideration of what might have happened allows us new insights into the significance of what did happen.

Paul Preston follows the unsettled road leading to the clash between the republicans and nationalists.