N. 3 (2010)

During the Cold War, Roosevelt and Churchill were often targets of Western criticism for its negotiations with Stalin for Europe. At that time Russia was presented as an enigma to them. Today, this ignorance may wonder. The rise of superpowers seems inevitable; ideological enmity, axiomatic; and the Stalinist regime’s brutal nature, crystal clear. However, we must remember the problems that caused the Allies during the war uncertainties about Russia. In the heart of the enigma was the personality of Stalin himself. The major British and American legislators expected the policy of cooperation with the Soviet Union could extend beyond the war. Cold War ended was not producing the result they preferred neither expected.

World War II; Allies; Stalinist regime’s; Cold War

The events of October 1934: beyond government action

Manuel López Esteve

This article analyzes the several practices, concrete objectives and social and political projects that converged in the October revolt of 1934 in Catalonia. The working class movement, the «rabassaires» movement and poor peasants had important protagonist in the facts. They achieved to transform the October movement in a social insurrection simultaneously with the actions of Catalan government.

Spanish Second Republic; October revolution; Catalan government; insurrectional action; working class movement; peasant movement; social conflict

Between history, literature and memory: «This is my war, they haven’t told me»

Alberto Reig Tapia

It is necessary another novel on the Civil War? This is the question that could be a presentation to the assay of Professor Alberto Reig Tapia about the concepts of History, Literature and Memory in the Spanish Civil War. Considering the historian a medium of his time, and blurring the border between these three concepts previously mentioned, Reig Tapia proposes to analyze some historical novels on the topic that can help us to know the experiences and the spirit of the period. After a route that includes authors as Rafael García Serrano, Joan Sales, Antonio Muñoz Molina, and Jordi Soler, despite recognizing valuable contributions of the three latest ones, Reig Tapia answers in an affirmative way to the initial question: It is still necessary a novel on the Civil War that becomes an obliged reference paradigm and an indisputable part of our historical collective memory.

Spanish civil war; History; Memory; Literature; Historical novel

Phalange, autarky and crisis. The general strike of 1951 in Barcelona

Michael Richards

The Tram Strike of 1951 was the largest protest held in the city of Barcelona from the Spanish Civil War until 1976. It represented a turning point in the Franco’s regime, so it contributed to a slow change in the forms of domination imposed under the dictatorship. The article examines the causes of the protest, emphasizing the internal rifts in Falange and between Falange and the civil governor, to explain the initial support of related fields to boycott the regime trams. While the first officers of the protest were students and some members of the Falange, the workers became increasingly involved. The infiltration of anti-Franco among them union representatives, but also from some dissident members of the Falange, help to understand the call for general strike on March 12, which had a wide following in the Barcelona area and impact in several Spanish cities. Among the consequences the strike were an extensive repression, relief of many public offices in Barcelona, changes in the relations between civil governor Falange and the questioning of autarkic economic policy, with the introduction of liberalization measures.

Trams; boycott; general strike; Falange; Vieja Guardia

Actions and perceptions. The US ambassadors during the late Franco regime and the Spanish transition to democracy (1969-1978)

Misael López Zapico

This paper analyzes the role played by the U.S. Embassy in Madrid during a critical period of the Spanish recent History, the last years of the Franco Regime and the beginning of the Transition to democracy. Specifically, it focuses on review the behavior of the Chiefs of Mission in order to assess their real influence over the design of the relations between Spain and the United States. Also it studies the perceptions of those Ambassadors about the changes in Spain and their influence on the State Department.

Spain; United States; U.S. Embassy; Francoism; Transition to democracy