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They and thousands of others died because most of the governments of democratic nations had abandoned democratic principles, and were denying the lawfully-elected government of Spain its fundamental inter- national right to purchase arms to quell treachery, to repel invasion. An-d the “Non-Intervention” Pact that, in practice, blockaded Spain did not prevent its invasion by Fascist Italy and Germany. Throughout the year 1937, German and Italian armaments and armies poured into Fran- co territory. As a result, Asturias and Euzkadi, blockaded by land and sea, were over—run by the Fascist forces, and Mussolini could boast then “A Splendid Italian Victory”. But, how much of that “splendid vict- ory” was due to Hitler’s aid the Iwildernesses that once were the thriving towns of Guernica and Durango are ghastly evidence. Between them, however, Mussolini and Hitler may share whatever of glory they can find in their extermination campaign in the North —- ‘where, incidentally, Catholic priests died before firing—squads or under the ruins of their bombed churches for the “crime” of opposing the Nazi—Mahommedan Christian Crusade.

The anti-Fascist North overwhelmed, the invaders, flushed with vic-

tory, could turn their attention again to the South, to Madrid before

whose barricades they had been halted since November 1936, and against which they had launched a series of large—scale attacks, mainly by Ital- ian levies, which had nesult-ed only in a second Caporetti, at Guada- lajara.

Throughout Autumn, the forthcoming Fascist offensive in the South was widely heralded. Promised for November, it was again postponed‘, while rumours were circulated —— in “Non—Intervention” circles!——that the Republican forces could not hold out much longer and that peace at any price was the “best” solution.

Meanwhile_in Republican Spain, the nation had been mobilising to , fight more effectively. War industries were organised; arms—ships ran _ the blockade; reserves were created. The raw militiamen were given political and military training that transformed them into disciplined soldiers. The Centurias and Columns of early days were replaced by Divisions and Army Corps. All independent commands were merged into one unified Republican Army.

And just at the moment when Jthe 'world—even the anti-Fascist wor;ld—was awaiting with bated breath the Fascist offensive that was to decide the issue of the war, the Republican Army struck. Smashing its way through the hitherto impregnable forts around Teruel, fighting under climatic conditions that would be the supreme test for the best-

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