• bort [none/use name]@hexbear.netEnglish
    241·
    2 days ago

    On: “the May Days specifically started when anarchists were fucking around with government telephone calls”

    “The immediate catalyst was the Generalitat’s seizure of the CNT-controlled central telephone exchange in Barcelona on 3 May after an anarchist operator had interrupted a telephone call by the president of the republic, Manuel Azaña. In the wake of deteriorating conditions and police heavy-handedness, elements of the CNT – supported by the Poum – confronted the forces of the Generalitat and the PSUC.”

    This is really lazy but I’m just gonna link a source another poster posted here. You seem well read enough on the subject to know who Paul Preston is, but if you haven’t read his books I highly recommend.

    Really? Is that why all Spain’s gold reserves (the third largest in the world at the time) ended up in Moscow?

    What’s the issue here? My understanding was that the Republic voluntarily sent its gold to Russia to avoid it falling into fascist hands. If you’ve got a source on the contrary I’d be genuinely interested.

    And the Soviets, whether in solidarity or because they were paid in gold, sent considerable vital war materiel, and organised the International Brigades. They were the only power to support the Republican effort. Their policy, and the policy of the aligned Spanish communist parties, was supporting the Republic and the war. Again I’ve seen no evidence to suggest that this wasn’t genuinely the case.

    I’m not saying that the only reason Barcelona didn’t fall to the fascists right at the start of the war was because of the anarchists… oh, wait - that’s exactly what I’m saying.

    Yeah, I absolutely think the Republic would have stood a better chance of defeating Franco if the anarchists had been more committed to the war and less focussed on immediate revolution, I’m just not saying they would have definitely won. I understand their desire for revolution, and the work they did in Catalunya and Aragon was fantastic, I just think their priorities were in the wrong place if they wanted to sustain it.

    • masquenox@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
      32·
      2 days ago

      On: “the May Days specifically started when anarchists were fucking around with government telephone calls”

      Horseshit, tankie.

      “The news of the attack spread rapidly. Informed of what had taken place, the Regional Committee of the CNT called the Ministry of Internal Security on the telephone and demanded an explanation. Who gave the order to occupy the building? It did not come from the Council of the Generalitat, which had never deliberated such an action. After further inquiries, the Councilor of Internal Security, the republican Ayguadé, said he did not know anything about it. In fact, the order to occupy the building that Rodríguez Sala had presented bore his signature….”

      Revolution and Counterrevolution in Catalonia – Carlos Semprún Maura

      Seems like Azaña’s (alleged) “interrupted phone call” didn’t bother Azana enough to declare war on the anarchists - if such an event ever ocurred at all.

      My understanding was that the Republic voluntarily

      Right, right… the Republic decided democratically to give all it’s gold reserves to one of the most untrustworthy realpolitickers of the 20th century, eh? You tankies have a weird understanding of the term “voluntary,” too.

      They were the only power to support the Republican effort.

      Support it or hijack it? Can you tankies actually tell the difference?

      Yeah, I absolutely think the Republic

      Yeah, I absolutely think the Republic would have stood a better chance if the liberals holding hands with tankies were more interested in fighting the fascists than sabotaging the anarchists.

      • bort [none/use name]@hexbear.netEnglish
        241·
        2 days ago

        Ok, I’m just gonna disengage. You’re being really hostile, your understanding of history is bad, and you’re weirdly bitter about events you have absolutely nothing to do with. Please remember we’re just on the internet, not on opposite sides of the barricades.