The Peoples Army in the SCW

[Alex M]

Just finished reading The  People's Army in the Spanish Civil War by Alexander Clifford . I really can't recommend this enough! It includes many first hand accounts not previously translated into English and is a true military history of three of the  main Republican offensives of the war . Brunete , Belchite and Teruel . One thread that the author examines is that the International Brigades should be seen as an elite within the context of the Republican Army and the SCW as a whole . After reading  his arguments I have to say he puts forward a pretty good case . Maybe a case for a reclassification of the IB into a veteran company for BAIT  in certain time periods ? Cheers Alex

[martin goddard]

The international brigades were often used as shock troops.
They did fight hard.

However...
Trouble is that they got chewed up a lot.
The US Lincoln brigade was thrown into action before it was ready.
Then the Spanish would not let  IB  return home if they wanted.
Then their weaponry and ammunition got re directed to communist units.
Then they got recruits who were Spanish.
Then they let/agreed the IB go home whilst the fascist were launching major assaults.

The international brigades could be veteran but equally they might be raw as in "dispirited and mauled"


martin

[Alex M]

Good points  , on balance I think it's right to only class them as average at best in the rules . They  would  probably only be Veteran at their very best and that for only short periods of time before casualties and weariness blunted their effectiveness. I don't think their enthusiasm and ideology made them as effective as the ruthlessly efficient and battle hardened Legionnaires . Well worth a read though and available on Amazon  👍🏻 Cheers Alex

[Lluis of Minairons]

The international brigades were often used as shock troops.
They did fight hard.

However...
Trouble is that they got chewed up a lot.
The US Lincoln brigade was thrown into action before it was ready.
Then the Spanish would not let  IB  return home if they wanted.
Then their weaponry and ammunition got re directed to communist units.
Then they got recruits who were Spanish.
Then they let/agreed the IB go home whilst the fascist were launching major assaults.

The international brigades could be veteran but equally they might be raw as in "dispirited and mauled"


martin

Despite I would overall second Martin's opinions, it's most important to keep in sight the "context" issue commented above.

For instance, true that IBs were thrown prematurely into battle, but... otherwise there was noone else to face the rebels, except for a fraction of the inexperienced, levy-based metropolitan army (who were no rival for the professional, hardened, brutal colonial troops).

Also true that, at some time, their ranks started to be filled with local conscripts. However, I humbly believe it quite wiser than keeping highly experienced but increasingly smaller IB units apart from newly raised units entirely made from conscription.

Spanish Republic would not let IBs demobilize over the last stages of war. It was international pressure that forced the Republic to disband them, as a response to the fake withdrawal performed by both Italians and Germans.

Not any will to argue here, of course. Just to counterbalance the thing a bit.

The only matter where I'd openly disagree with Martin is about weaponry and ammunition. IBs were a major propaganda tool for the Communists, so they were usually first in the list for equipment and supplies. If Brigaders ever complained about this issue, I'd bet it due to not having noticed how ill-equipped were their Spanish comrades!

Lluís

[Alex M]

Great to hear your point of view Lluis . The SCW always provokes a good debate , one of the reasons it's my favourite period of history , for gaming and studying . Alex