It is
often commented that the Felon (a.k.a. Donald Trump) has never read a history
book. While that is probably the case, it is clear others in his orbit, most
likely Stephen Miller, his deputy Chief of Staff, and political advisor Steve
Bannon, have and are using history as a playbook.
Many
books have been written about the Spanish Civil War which gave rise to power to
Francisco Franco (1892-1975) the fascist dictator of Spain, known to
history as Caudillo, or Generalissimo. Most of the English language books have
a narrow focus, usually the International Brigades, particularly Ernest
Hemingway. Paul Preston’s nonfiction The Spanish Civil War, and its expanded
versions, is comprehensive however covering the causes, military and diplomatic
battles, and the consequences. Preston’s book can be used as a warning sign for
today’s protect democracy forces, or as a how-to manual for fascist governments
in the making.
My
Gross Oversimplification
After
the downfall of the Spanish Monarchy in 1931, the population experimented with
democracy. This experiment was chaotic as the country split into warring
factions (students of world history could compare it with post-dynastic China,
or post-revolution Russia, or even the more recent Iraq experience. Instead of
uniting to build a better and modern country, these factions competed for power,
undercutting every attempt at political stability.
These factions
eventually morphed into two general groups: Republicans (as in supporters of
the Republic); and Nationalists (as in armed rebels). The components of these
two factions changed repeatedly, usually through alliances of convenience.
As
difficult as the internal politics, were the external ones. Most of the world
was trying to recover from the Great Depression. The establishment governments
in Britan, France, and the United States, were terrified all of Europe would
follow the path of Russia where Communism was beginning its own experiment in
the new Soviet Union. Because of this fear, western governments secretly were supportive
of fascism as a way to prevent Communism – hence they appeased the rise of
Hitler in Germany, and Mussolini in Italy. By the time the western allies
realized that fascism was the bigger threat, they were surrounded.
Mussolini
and Hitler had no qualms about helping the Nationalists in Spain, picking
Franco as the most likely winner. Until the war broke out, Franco had been an
aspiring leader in the official Spanish military. Fearing his ambitions the hierarchy
transferred him to Spanish Morrocco to get him out of the way. There Franco
built the “Africa corps” and when ready moved back across the Mediterranean Sea
to begin his long march to Madrid (proving that the Spanish never read history
either, never heard of Napolean).
With
that over simplification done, there is a much bigger story in Preston’s book,
and that is how Franco was able to unite the various factions and take over
what would become the Nationalist campaign. The use of brute military force, the acts
of violence, fear campaigns, inciting civilians against each other,
deportations, tactics patented by other fascist governments were all
incorporated in Franco’s rise to power.
I’ll
close by relating this to what is being attempted in the United States today. The
Felon and his allies are dividing America, rounding up people into
concentration camps to deport them (by plane this time, not box cars), routinely
violating constitutional norms, saber rattling abroad and robbing taxpayers to
reward their billionaire underwriters. With the biggest tactic being fear
– there is a reason he is building his own private militia, masking it, and
arming it to the teeth – and that reason is their own failure on January 6,
2021.
