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PREFACE

From the shell torn streets of Madrid, from the mountains of Guadalajara, from the trenches of democratic Spain, voices of the men, women and children call to us for solidarity and support.

The International Labor Defense has, since the defenders of liberty and democracy in Spain took up arms in defense of their country and their freedom, rallied its entire organization to their aid. It now presents to the American people, a true picture of their plight told in their own words.

The stories in this pamphlet were all written in Spain. Every word breathes with the tragic truth of the heroic fortitude with which the people of Spain are fighting fascism.

Every page presents a black indictment of the savagery of the fascist forces—Italia.n, German, Spanish.

From the first moment of the fascist rebellion in July 1936, General Francisco Franco has had the material and moral sup- port of Hitler and Mussolini. Tens of thousands of German, Italian, Moorish troops have poured death and destruction upon the Spanish people from planes, machine guns, cannon, rifles. The people of Spain, however, did not support the ambitions of the fascist generals who started a rebellion against the duly elected democratic government.

That government was elected by a majority of the people of Spain on a program which they endorsed—because it promised to wipe out the injustices under which they had been crushed for centuries.

Men and women, young and old rallied to the banner of the People’s Front republic. Armed with whatever inadequate weapons could be hastily mustered when the fascists struck, they marched in loyal ranks to give their lives in defense of de- mocracy.

For eight months now they have repulsed the forces of fas- cism. On front after front, they have delivered decisive blows to the hopes of Hitler and Mussolini.

Behind them are the millions of anti-fascists of the whole

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