Spain in Our Hearts

Starred review from January 18, 2016
Acclaimed popular historian Hochschild (To End All Wars) shares tales of some of the roughly 2,800 Americans who participated in the Spanish Civil War and relates the experiences of the two most notable journalists to cover it, Ernest Hemingway and George Orwell. He shows how the war was a brutal, cruel mismatch from the beginning, with Franco’s fascist forces strengthened by 80,000 Italian troops supplied by Mussolini, as well as weapons and airplanes provided by Hitler in exchange for war-related minerals (copper, iron ore, and pyrites). Additionally, Hochschild uncovers the story of how Texaco, headed by an admirer of Hitler, Torkild Rieber, provided Franco with unlimited oil on credit, shipped it for free, and supplied invaluable intelligence on tankers carrying oil to the Republican forces. The Republicans, meanwhile, embargoed by France, Britain, and the U.S., used antiquated weapons, including American Winchester rifles manufactured in the 1860s. Hochschild is an exceptional writer; his narrative is well-paced, delivered in clear prose, and focused on important and colorful details of the historical moment. Volunteers from around the world, including the Americans (a quarter of whom died), correctly saw the Republican cause as a last-ditch effort to stop fascism before it spread across Europe, and Hochschild tells their story beautifully. Maps & illus. Agent: Georges Borchardt, Georges Borchardt Inc.

January 1, 2016

Books by Hochschild--King Leopold's Ghost and To End All Wars--have twice been finalists for the National Book Critics Circle Award, and his Bury the Chains was a finalist for the National Book Award. Here his subject is the Spanish Civil War (1936-39) viewed through the lens of the U.S. involvement in it. More than 3,000 Americans fought for the Republic; 2,300 came home. Besides reporters, novelists such as Ernest Hemingway and Martha Gellhorn were also in Spain at the time. The New York Times had correspondents on both sides, leading to wildly incompatible accounts of what actually was happening. Not all supported the republic faction; Texaco supplied oil to dictator Francisco Franco on credit and leaked information on Republican ship movement to Franco's allies so that Italian submarines could attack them. While other histories have depicted the war and the vicious infighting among Republican factions, Hochschild points out what was glorious in the conflict--more in aspiration than execution. VERDICT The author's focus on the experiences of U.S. compatriots will pique readers' attention. Even those who have read other books on the Spanish Civil War will find much that is new in this fine history. [See Prepub Alert, 9/28/15.]--David Keymer, Modesto, CA

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