How the Spanish Civil War Became Europe’s Battlefield

(By Pamela Beth Radcliff)

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Author	Pamela Beth Radcliff

“Book Descriptions: The Spanish Civil War was a local conflict on the margins of Europe—a short yet bloody series of battles in a lull between the great World Wars—but the conflict was a microcosm of war in the 20th century. Not only did the Spanish Civil War foreshadow the global conflagration to come, but it also had its roots in the modern era’s central divides: urban versus rural, religion versus secularization, rich versus poor, progress versus tradition, democracy versus fascism and communism.

The only exposure many of us have had to information about the Spanish Civil War comes from the artistic masterpieces of Pablo Picasso’s painting Guernica and Ernest Hemingway’s novel For Whom the Bell Tolls. Beyond these representations, however, the shadow of the war lives on as new information continues to emerge about the authoritarian rule of General Francisco Franco and the nation he built from the rubble of the war.

In this course, you will have the opportunity to explore this fascinating, complex, and often brutal history. How the Spanish Civil War Became Europe’s Battlefield takes you to the front line and introduces you to the competing coalitions on each side to look at the issues of a perennially confounding military and social history. Taught by Professor Pamela Radcliff of the University of California, San Diego, these 24 scintillating lectures survey the aspects of an endlessly multifaceted history.

Among many topics, you will investigate how Spain transitioned from a seemingly peaceful democracy to a nation torn by war, the role of the Catholic Church and the international community in supporting each side, and how ordinary soldiers and citizens experienced the war. You will reflect on the complicated legacy of the war. Since the Nationalist leader General Francisco Franco took power and held authoritarian rule for decades after the war, information about the war itself was limited until the later decades of the 20th century. Professor Radcliff delves into the so-called “memory wars” of the 21st century to show how multiple narratives of the war continue.”