by Eric R. Smith
Columbia: University of Missouri, 2013. Pp. xiv, 194.
Append., notes., biblio., index. $60.00. ISBN: 0826220096
American Humanitarian Support for Embattled Spain
Most books about the United States and the Spanish-Civil War deal with diplomacy or the overblown role of American volunteers for the Republic. In this volume,
Dr. Smith takes a look at a neglected side of
this
most controversial conflict of the twentieth century, American relief assistance.
Smith opens with a more even handed
the usual
look at the origins and course of the war, which has become increasingly common in treatments of the war. In addition to looking at the very widespread, and not entirely liberal or leftist, outpouring of support for the Republican side, he also looks at assistance offered to the Nationalist side, mostly conservative and Catholic, though not totally.
This approach allows
Smith to explore rifts in the political bases of the two sides, notably the anti-Stalinist factions in the Republican camp. One interesting aspect of his account is that he looks at
the abortive
attempts to organize
humanitarian
aid
for
Ethiopia during the Italian invasion the year before civil war broke out in Spain, which was less successful
,
due, apparently,
partially
to racism and
partially
to Stalin’s lack of interest, which provided some experience in organization and publicity.
A very interesting, well researched, and thoughtful work, American Relief Aid and the Spanish Civil War will be primarily of interest to students of the Spanish Civil War or the history of “movements” in America.
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