THE END OF THE SPANISH CIVIL WAR: Alicante 1939

1-242550

Discusses the role that the port of Alicante played at the end of the Spanish Civil War. Starts by explaining how a rebellion of Republican officers, led by Colonel Segismundo Casado, attempted to thwart Juan Negrin's plan to withdraw to Alicante. Originally a remote, quiet port, Alicante became increasingly significant as attention focused on defeated Republicans toward the end of the war. Tens of thousands of refugees descended on Alicante in the hope of rescue by French and British ships that had been promised but which failed to materialize.

Discusses how, despite no aid from British and French governments, Captain Archibald Dickson of the Stanbrook ditched his cargo and transported 3,000 refugees to safety in North Africa. However, when the Generalisimo issued a communique declaring that the war was over, surrounded and captured the bulk of the Republicans, and marched them to an improvised internment camp known as the Campo de los Almendros (Field of Almond Trees). They were then transferred to the infamous concentration camp at Albatera to share the fate of defeated Republicans across Spain and to undergo the program of ideological cleansing of the new fascist authorities. Contains 40 mono illustrations.