Your Children Will be Next: Bombing and Propoganda in the Spanish Civil War

This book centres on the bombing of Getafe, a small town south of Madrid shortly after the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War. Sections of the international press reported that forty or more children had been killed by bombs dropped in the Nationalist cause, a tragedy encapsulated in a poster issued by the Ministry of Propaganda. Accompanied by the words "If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next", the poster linked Hitler and Nazi Germany with Franco's ruthless determination to overcome resistance and destroy the Republic. In the eyes of millions outside Spain, the poster helped to explain Madrid's heroic resistance to "International Fascism". The book establishes the central importance of the Getafe incident and goes on to analyse "collateral damage" inflicted by air-forces on both sides during the war, and aims to question what Prof. Stradling considers to be the continuing pro-Republican bias of historical writing on the war. It also discusses reactions in the UK and other European countries. Using the iconic poster as a focus, the book also covers other types of propaganda, including examples in art (Picasso's Guernica), literature, music, photography and film. The book will be unique in that it will be the first to analyse the Getafe incident in detail. The Mass Killing Of Civilians In Incidents Of 'collateral Damage', Especially As A Result Of Air Bombardment, Represents One Of The Most Emotive And Ethically Urgent Issues Of The Contemporary World. Many Experts See The Civil War In Spain (1936-9) As The Original Site Of This 'new Kind Of War' - As George Steer, Reporting On The Bombing Of Gernika, Christened It. Six Months Before Gernika, On 30 October 1936, The Nationalist Lebels Advancing On Madrid Launched Air Raids On Targets In The Capital. The Republican Government Claimed That Bombs Were Also Dropped On The Suburban Township Of Getafe, Killing Thirty Children. The Claim Inspired Not Only A Celebrated Poster - 'if You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next' - But Also A World-wide Propaganda Campaign, Aimed At Stimulating Support For The Spanish Republic, Focusing On The Deliberate Bombing Of Women And Children By 'fascist Barbarians'. The Core Of Rob Stradling's Book Is A Meticulous Account Of The Alleged Atrocity Of Getafe. This Investigation Is Presented As Part Of A Wide-ranging Survey Of The Conduct Of Both Sides In The Matter Of 'the Bombing Of Open Towns' Together With The Reactions Of Politicians, Reporters, Soldiers, Writers And Artists. Much Of His Evidence Has Never Previously Been Presented For Public Discussion, And The Arguments Drawn From It Are Guaranteed To Stimulate Lively Debate.--book Jacket. Prologue To An Imaginary Tragedy -- 'if You Tolerate This ... ' -- Collateral Damage, Bilateral Tactics -- The Ordeal Of Madrid -- From Bilbao To Barcelona -- The War In Getafe -- Getafe In The Headlines -- Hitting Them Hard -- Views From Ground Level -- Masks For Murdered Innocents -- The Blood In The Streets -- A Horrified World -- Guilty By Authorship? -- Gernika -- The True Getafe? -- Getafe Airbrushed Out -- Journey To Getafe -- Return To Wales. By Robert Stradling. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [291]-305) And Index. Baghdad, Kandahar, Jakartanot to mention Dresden, Hiroshima, the mass killing of civilians as collateral damage, especially as the result of air bombardment, represents one of the most emotional and ethically urgent issues in the contemporary world. Many experts in the field see the civil war that tore apart Spain as the original site of this new kind of war, as George Steer, reporting on the bombing of Guernica, christened it. Your Children Will Be Next centers on the bombing of Getafe, a small town south of Madrid, shortly after that wars outbreakwhen Nationalist rebels advancing on the capital launched air raids on targets that unfortunately included this suburban township, where thirty young children were killed. The claims of the Republican government produced not only the celebrated posterIf You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Nextbut also a worldwide propaganda campaign that stimulated support for the Spanish republic. The core of this thought-provoking book is a meticulous account of the alleged atrocity of Getafe that is presented as part of a wide-ranging survey of both sides conduct in the matter, as well as the reactions of politicians, soldiers, reporters, writers, and artists. Appealing to anyone with an interest in European history, as well as in the potent powers of media and propaganda, Your Children Will Be Next is guaranteed to stimulate lively debate on a powerful and controversial topic.