The Odyssey of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade: Americans in the Spanish Civil War [Paperback]

The most complete story yet published of the 2.800 or so American volunteers who went to fight fascism in Spain, about one third of whom died fighting Franco's hordes Complete because it tells the story of these brave men and women before, during and especially after the Spanish War. Seems many of the survivor's troubles began after WW2 when many of these anti-facsists were hounded and persecuted by the US Gov during the cold war and red scares.
The author, Peter Carroll, explains the motivations that made this very diverse body of men and women volunteer to fight in a far away land, the fighting is depicted in vivid detail in the combatent's own words as they describe their experiences at Jarama, Belchite and the Ebro.
A lot of the veterans later fought with honour and bravery during WW2 in spite of obstacles placed in their paths by the American Government and in some cases the US Army.
Many of the survivors continued the fight during the 50's & 60's Civil Rights battles, the 60's protests against the war in Vietnam, the 70's opposition to US involvement in Central America, 80's US support of South Africa etc.
The author explores many different facets of the struggle, not least that the Abraham Lincoln Brigade was the first ever fully racially intergrated military unit in American history. He also closely examines the role of the CPUSA and the actions of the Communist leaders in Spain, especially in light of some of the allegations made by non communist volunteers after the war.
All in all an awesome book, not easy to find but well worth the hassle ( and maybe the price).Well researched including original research in the then just opened archives in Moscow. Published in 1994 by the Stanford University Press, the author has the confidence of the survivors and was asked by them to become their official historian.
What I find really interesting though, is a serious work of history by an American scholar written from a viewpoint quite sympathetic to American Communists and Socialists, all of whom are a pretty rare breed in that country.

This extremely readable book tells the story of the 2,600 American volunteers who fought for the Spanish Republic in the years 1936 to 1938. They fought against Franco; they also fought against Hitler's and Mussolini's armies; they also fought against the Governments of Britain, France and the United States, which did so much to assist the forces of fascist aggression...

Within the Republican forces, it was the Communists who fought longest and hardest against Franco. What is amazing is that they fought so well for so long against such odds, not that they lost. How could they have fought any better? If they had followed the line of revolution now, war later, Franco would surely have won more quickly and easily. This approach would have lost them the support of those in Spain who wanted the Republic but were not yet ready for revolution. This approach would have made support or even genuine neutrality from other Governments even less likely. It would have increased the intensity of German, Italian, British, French and US Government support for Franco. It is quite possible that the British, French and US Governments would have abandoned even the pretence of neutrality and joined in the attack on Spain, just as they had in 1918-1922 when they jointly attacked the Soviet Union.

The British, French and US Governments used Hitler and Mussolini as their hired goons to attack Spain, just as they tried to use them later to attack the Soviet Union. (And just as they now use other goons in other countries...

Spain (not Munich) gave Britain the time and opportunity to rearm. Spain damaged Mussolini so much that his intervention on Hitler's side was more hindrance than help. Franco too could do little to help his sponsors. Veterans of the Brigade fought Franco to the end. After his death, his monstrous regime crumbled away to nothing. The veterans worked in the movements against the US's war of aggression on Vietnam, against US support for apartheid, against the US arms buildup, and against the US's wars against Nicaragua and Iraq. They did not retire; they were not defeated.