Trivia

The International Brigades of the Spanish Civil War were foreign volunteers who flocked to the conflict between 1936-9, thousands fighting for the left-wing Republicans with smaller numbers joining the right-wing Nationalists. The motivations for the volunteers was diverse, some seeing the conflict as a battle between democracy and tyranny, others between Communism and Fascism. So many Americans joined the Republicans they were able to form their own unit, the 'Abraham Lincoln Brigade'. Different factions of the IRA (Irish Republican Army) fought for both sides whilst their enemies the UVF (Ulster Volunteer Force) sent men and arms to aid the Republicans (George Nathan, one of the International Brigade's greatest heroes was an ex-Black and Tan who had served in the Irish Troubles of 1919-21 and now found himself fighting alongside his former enemies). The Soviet Union provided some military support for the Republicans but this was dwarfed by Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy who not only sent massive military aid to the Nationalists but dispatched the 'Condor Legion' of German warplanes manned by Luftwaffe crews. Numerous famous figures took part in the conflict, most notably author George Orwell who fought on the Catalonian front, film star Errol Flynn who worked as a reporter as did famous spy Kim Philby. See more