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Notes one of All Empire's articles

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Cataln View Drop Down
Pretorian
Pretorian


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  Quote Cataln Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Notes one of All Empire's articles
    Posted: 08-Jan-2008 at 19:05
The article in question is The Involvement of the Great Powers in the Spanish Civil War, as there a few changes that should be made.  Right now, without sources by my side I can't make very specific comments but there are a few glaring issues.
 
1.  The Soviet Union did not provide Spain with 900 tanks
According Franco Molina's book Las Armas de la Guerra Civil Espaola, the Soviet Union sent 350 tanks to Spain; 300 T-26 light tanks and 50 BT-5 fast tanks.  Stephen J. Zaloga has an article online which offers concrete numbers on shipments, available here.  And my Wikipedia article on the T-26 offers these numbers and more sources.  In specific, apart from the Soviet Union's 350 tanks, Germany sent ca. 155 Panzer Is and Italy around 130 L-3-35s.  I can't account for the rest of the figures offered, but I think a source needs to be given because if the figure for the tanks is incorrect then I could only assume that the rest is incorrect, as well (related to the figures of Soviet aid).
 
Furthermore, Poland sent a considerable shipment of armor (FT-17s) to the Republic in 1937, and France did as well during the first months of the civil war.  The Republic received quite a bit of aid, and it should be noted that the Soviet Union sent more aid to the Republic than Germany and Italy did combined to the Nationalist Front (ironically, Soviet T-26s became the most used tank in the Nationalist Army, as well - they were pressed into service when captured).
 
2. Role of Italy
Italy did not join the Nationalist's cause immediately when the war started.  The contacts with Italy which gained their aid during the initial period of war were established after the alzamiento.  The figures for the war material sent to the Nationalists during the war are also terribly wrong, as already established (Italy did not send 900 tanks, as stated above).  In February 1937 the Italian CTV (Corpo Truppe Volontarie numbered about 49,700 strong; this force was frustrated and defeated at the Battle of Guadalajara. Source: Sullivan, Brian R., Fascist Italy's Involvement in the Spanish Civil War, Journal of Military History, Vol. 59, No. 4, October 1995 (I have information on Italian aircraft supplied to the Nationalist air force, but it's at home [don't have an internet connection at home]). Furthermore, the mechanization offered by Italy during the war was completely inferior compared to Soviet armor (as were the Panzer Is sent by Germany).
 
3.  The murder of a CEDA member did not set off the war
Certainly, it was a factor, but it wasn't the spark which set the fire.  The civil war was bound to happen, regardless - around the same time, too.
 
4. German Condor Legion
Germany provided more than just the Condor Legion. The Condor Legion represented their direct intervention in the war; the Condor Legion had no control over the armor Germany provided to Spain, which was under control of Spanish officers and staff.  The Germans also provided much of the training staff for newly arrived equipment and for Spanish artillery.  It also provided modern aircraft (such as the ME-109) to the Nationalist front which were superior to Soviet aircraft provided to the Republicans (although, in smaller numbers).
 
There are other problems with the article that I can't address due to the lack of available sources with me (all of them are at home), but I'll try to print the article and make a better critique.  Nevertheless, the article needs to be expanded and corrected.


Edited by Cataln - 08-Jan-2008 at 19:05
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  Quote rider Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10-Jan-2008 at 16:55
Okay. Thanks,

We'l make them as soon as possible.
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  Quote rider Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15-Jan-2008 at 16:57
I didn't know how else to edit it so I did that to it.

Take a look and tell me if it's better now. However, I'd more like it if it could be rewritten with the edits made and some more depth into it.
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  Quote Aster Thrax Eupator Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15-Jan-2008 at 23:23
We can't just correct this - you, Catalan, need to speak to him about this. Any issues such as this have to be fixed by the author. Personally I think that everyone who submits an article should post it first to have it evaluated - that's helped me tremendously...
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  Quote Cataln Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16-Jan-2008 at 15:11
The original author isn't stated.  I'm thinking of writing a revised article on the topic, but I'm trying to gather sources and it's taking me a while.  A lot of my books are in San Diego, California and I'm in Spain and will remain in Spain for a long time (thinking about joining the Spanish Army).  So, I need to start perusing libraries and such.
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  Quote rider Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16-Jan-2008 at 15:59
Well, you might use the mail service (if it isn't very costly).
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