Paul Preston is a historian of Spain. His most recent book is A People Betrayed: A History of Corruption, Political Incompetence and Social Division in Modern Spain 1874-2018.
Eighty-five years ago today, Francisco Franco declared victory in the Spanish Civil War. In an interview, historian Paul Preston tells Jacobin about the decisive role that Franco’s sympathizers in the British government played in crushing Spanish democracy.
Born 125 years ago today, communist leader Dolores Ibárruri was the most famous symbol of the Republican cause in Spain. Known as “La Pasionaria,” she coined the battle cry “¡No pasarán!” — expressing the fearlessness which made her a heroine for generations of anti-fascists.