A Critical Review of Channel 4's 'The Spanish Civil War' GRANADA's it was, - missible to allow the slightest lack of clarity unmentioned.
The first two in the series Prelude to Tragedy 1931-1936' and "Revolution, Counterrevolution and Terror', despite their quantes compared to other programmes of this type, fail to clearly define the political forces it not the class in *explosion history'- In particular the question of questions, the role of the Popular Front, is obscured Written Neil Ascherson James ameron and produced b a team from Vorld in Ac. CLASS SADeS 11 1011 pace and style. The interview technique with surviving participants cutting into archive film of the actual events as they are discussed, lends immediacy and drama to the unfolding narrative. Much of the film footage has only become available since the death of Franco. Later in the first episode the use ol dramatic reconstruction is employed to portray the assassinations and military plots immediately preceding Franco's coup against the Popular Front government Time While the latter made for exciting and entertainIng television. also the limitations of TV Journalism culture. The time given to these reconstructions and intrigues of the military compared to the difficult and possibly less visually stimulating exposition of the character of the Popular Front, detracted from the political clarity of the programme.
The first half of *Prelude Tragedy seriously attempted historical survey ticular it showed how pare crisis. army and the church have always cast their shadow over Spain The extremes of wealth and poverty, the COLLS CEL oppression and tremendous humiliation verging on slavery that existed on the land, the na tional question, all were highlighted. series documenting the Spanish Civil War has met with wide acclaim on the left and is essential watching for socialists Not only did the Spanish revolution fire the imagination of an entire generation of socialists, to paraphrase Trotsky, the supreme school. For this reason alone it would be impertowards its dearly bought lessons to pass The narrative showed how the most basic demands and hopes of the workers and peasants were and could not, be met within the existing order, by the Republican government established in 1931. At the same time the government's failure to contam me mass stuggie only alarmed and furiated the bourgeoisie and landlords.
This was the most effective part of the programme. Republican land reform official, now an old man, explained in a matter COT fact manner, how he had come to realise unal it was Impossibie Lo carry out the reforms without the destruction of the whole and political order.
The emergence on the right of a new party, the CEDA semi-fascist organisation the leadership of Gil Robles, formation ora new right wing govern ment, quickened the tempo of revolution leading again to uprisings throughout Spain, culminating the Asturian Commune in OcLODCI 1934. This was bloodily suppressed by legionaries and Moorish trooDs under Franco and thousands were massacred in cold blood The lessons of 1934, of Asturias, were not lost on une workers movement we are told. It was FCCOENISCO that successful uprising did not oc cur because the left could not united. By sleight of hand however, the programme moved quickly on the ot ine Popular Front in February 1936.
By implication it is suggested that this coalition LOVETHeR! the legitimate product of those lessons. thus contusing the need for unity in action of the workers' WITn workers* coalition of parties and liberal bourgeous parties in government. In fact the Popular Front tied the hands of the workers' parties.
However it could not Republican forces outside Madrid hold back the dammed up energies of the masses, for whom the cicelord victory was the signal for generalised movements, land seizures and assaults on the jails to free the thousands arrested in 1934.
We are informed that the climate violence allowed Halange thrive; that the revenge that was in the air meant that the bosses could not OILI 1OSC their property but their lives: that the right were becoming disillusioned arliamentar methods.
t's as though we are bein asked to believe that it was all due to the provocations of the workers; that if the workers and peasants nac been more moderate the traged" could nave Deet avoided. Middle ground was crumbling and disaster now seemed inevitable we are told However implicitly, the political thrust becomes little better than apology for the Popular STORE government utopia of liberal democratic capitalism which, on the programme's OWI evidence, had become impossible.
Point It is at this point, as if to avoid the central ques tion of proletarian revoluand on dramatic reconstructions and plots and intrigues of the officers.
The first programme in the series ends with Franco's Pronunciamento. There could be no rapid victory either compromises, n, no mori CURIOUSCS.
war Revolution, Counterand Terror' continues the theme of inevitable human tragedy. powerfully drawn impression tha presented us is unrestrained and bloodletting within both Nationalist and Republican There careful distinction made however between the random terror the 'the passion and hatred of centuries cold SuCHane blooded terror of the Na tionalist authorities. estimated that half the 500.000 dead were ecuted or massacred. For he fascists mass CACCU tions were seen as a cleansing of the nation.
After news of the cour barcelona workin alens a, Barcelona, The the became revolution.
the Republican government of the the factories, linked the peasants, passages, the chaos, excesses of revolutionary 'out of the barrel od. We are infoemed thisare informed that while the revolution was underway at the rear, the