“An indispensable read for anyone interested in the political history of the Second World War.”—The NYMAS Review
“Through use of extensive military records, Álvarez provides readers with an excellent sense of the constant battles that were fought from the outbreak of the Civil War; the movement and success of the forces of the Nationalists, led by General Francisco Franco; and the role of the legion in this first, and most violent, stage of the conflict.”—H-Net
“Students of the Spanish Civil War have long awaited Álvarez’s continuation of his seminal Betrothed of Death, and this [book] offers the core of an even more significant contribution to the literature on the Civil War, and to the general field of 20th century military history.”—Dennis Showalter, Professor of History, Colorado College, author of Hitler’s Panzers
“Although the war has attracted the attention of countless scholars and other writers, there are relatively few studies of the military operations themselves, especially in English. Hence this [book] helps fill a major gap in scholarship about the Spanish Civil War.”—Geoffrey Jensen, Professor of History, Virginia Military Institute, author of Irrational Triumph: Cultural Despair, Military Nationalism, and the Ideological Origins of Franco´s Spain