#Spainish Civil War

[impetuous-impulse]

A Brief Overview of Suchet’s Activities in Spain (Suchet’s Image, Part 1)

Hopefully it will still be March 2 somewhere in the world by the time I post this, because March 2 is Suchet’s birthday, and, because it is Suchet's birthday, I would like to examine his achievements in life (and caveats of said achievements). The time Suchet spent governing Spainish territories offers fertile grounds for exploration, so let us embark on an incomprehensive whistle-stop tour of what he did.

Because of limitations in time and space, I have lazily used a secondary source to reference Suchet’s administration in Spain. It is a 2008 paper titled "Conqueror and Administrator: Civil and Military Actions of Marshall Louis-Gabriel Suchet in the Spanish Province of Aragon 1808-1813” by Major Jean-Philippe Rollet in the (French) "Troupes de Marine”. The paper was submitted in partial fulfilment for a Military Studies Degree in the United States Marine Corps, which has possibly led to certain YouTube comments of how Suchet’s tactics are taught and imitated in the US Army. There is an obvious French bias that works towards Suchet’s favour here, particularly because Rollet relies on much of Suchet’s memoirs, though it is agreed that those memoirs were mostly accurate (in terms of facts, anyway). Rollet also countercites Suchet’s memoirs with British accounts that agree with Suchet’s method of administration, so there is some balance to the analysis.

Rollet gives an overview of the war in Spain. Then, he points out the enormity of Suchet’s problems: he is in deeply hostile territory with a wrecked economy and a destroyed agricultural system. On top of that, a letter dated 9 February 1810 informs him that he will not receive any supplies or help from France, but presumably he had little higher support even before this. What is the newly minted, foreign Governor of Aragon to do?

Apparently, assessing the economy and gathering local power was the answer. According to Rollet, the difference between Suchet and his colleagues was that he operated as a “military administrator” rather than a “pure military operational leader”, which Rollet links to Suchet's civilian background as the son of a silk manufacturer from Lyon. The regions under Suchet had no way of generating revenue (agriculture disrupted, more taxable/richer population moved to quieter areas, bankrupt central government etc.), so a long-term plan to generate economic growth was needed. To ensure this, Suchet needed cooperation from the political authorities.

The Politics

In his memoirs (chapter: Administration of Aragon), Suchet has a clear enough knowledge of regional rivalries to take advantage of them. Appealing to Aragonese regional pride, he kept local systems of administration in place and installed Aragonese agents instead of French ones to decrease the likelihood of dissent. Suchet then kept strict discipline with his officers and troops, punishing abuses, and ensured no one had reason to loot or destroy by paying the them on time.

To consolidate power, Suchet sought support from the local elites, especially religious authorities, who had huge influence in a largely Catholic population. From his memoirs:

Unwillingly compelled to embark in an attempt which he had at first considered wholly impractical, general Suchet drew around him the few men of talent who had remained in the province, and upon whose uprightness of conduct he could place some reliance. Foremost in the list was the titulary bishop of Saragossa [sic.]…, the truly venerable father Santander, whose persuasive eloquence instilled a peaceful and conciliatory disposition into his flock. This prelate pointed out the means to be adopted with the view of securing to the clergy a portion of their revenues, and the protection to which they were entitled.

Miguel de Santander was, at the time, auxiliary bishop of Zaragoza, and had significant influence as a preacher and speaker. Strong support achieved with bribery and compromise!

Suchet further showed his integrity by respecting the local Church of Notre Dame du Pilar and forbidding displacement of objects of worship, repairing war damage, and restoring Aragonese cultural sites. This excerpt from Rollet made me laugh:

He reestablished the "Academy of the Friends of the Province of Aragon", an institute in charge of promoting its culture, literature, and traditions. He naturally became the Director of the institute, thus indicating his admiration for the local culture. (p. 13)

(The amelioration of Suchet is real in this paper. If this actually happened, then he starts to seem like a nice and thoughtful guy for a conqueror.)

Of course, Suchet did not use the carrot without the stick. Clerics who were anti-French were arrested and sent to a French prison north of the Pyrenees Mountains. Nor did Suchet neglect the military aspect of his administration either. To combat the guerillas, Suchet used rapid-deploying, “police-type” formations that capitalised on officer initiative, and he constructed intelligence networks. Goodwill was increased when troops billeted with civilians and kept their hands to themselves. Suchet also used what Rollet calls an “oil spot”, framing guerilla forces as destabilisers of peace by highlighting every one of their atrocities, such as looting or retaliation against the population. Thanks to juxtapositional propaganda, Suchet's troops looked like saints of self-restraint. Suchet then ordered civilians collaborating with the guerillas to be punished with utmost severity. That way, the path of least resistance for a civilian to take was to resign themselves to Suchet’s regime, and even collaborate with him by serving as auxiliary troops against the guerillas.

The Economics

Next up: fixing the economy. Suchet collected a tidy sum of taxes regularly with his Aragonese collaborators. Two French administrators were in charge of centralising the sums, but Suchet kept the existing, people-trusted “Contadoria” system of accounts. Rollet comments:

He kept the money going to the province's account and ensured its transparent utilization. Suchet made it clear that the part taken by the French was devoted to the support of the III Corps and that the rest of the money was used to improve the economy of Aragon or contributed to the central government. In summary, Suchet had taxes collected by Spaniards to the benefit of both the French occupying forces and the local government. This prudent arrangement, which was the hallmark of Suchet, allowed him to acquire enough contributions not only to sustain his own corps, but also to provide 18 1"', the new Spanish government under King Joseph with 10 million Francs. He also supported the adjacent armies of the Valencia and Catalonia regions. (pp. 18-19)

Transparency? Unheard-of behaviour! It is likely that Suchet had ulterior motives for how he used the money. A list of Suchet’s improvement projects that “coincidentally” served military purposes included:

Reopening the Imperial Canal (irrigation provider, major logistics line of communication)

Ordering the construction of a road between Jaca in Aragon and Oloron in France (infrastructure improvements; communications aid)

Reestablishing manufactures based on local production of wool and fabrics (production means taxes means the soldiers get paid!)

With all that said, and even with awareness that Suchet fixed Aragon in order to ensure the stability of his government, Suchet seemed like he genuinely cared about the inhabitants of the province he governed. Then, I remember that the only way he could secure his power was to leave as little a cause as possible for people to riot, and I end up in an ouroboros of thought. Was Suchet truly a compassionate administrator who preferred a more pacifist approach to conquered peoples? No, the brutal repression of the guerillas speak against that. But was there not a shred of humanity that he exhibited in overseeing all the reconstruction projects in Aragon?

[kasunex]

I’ve never done a song analysis before, but I think this one is worth posting. “If You Tolerate This”, by Maniac Street Preachers, focuses on the experience of volunteers for the leftist Republic during the Spanish Civil War. It’s one of my favorites and one of the best pacifist songs ever written. Here’s why I think so.

The future teaches you to be alone,

The present; to be afraid and cold.

So, if I can shoot rabbits,

Then, I can shoot fascists.

This first verse focuses on the main character’s motivations for fighting. His fear of a future alone has caused him to become distant. Is he afraid of being forgotten? In any case, his fears drive him to hate fascism. He believes, in a darkly simplistic analogy, that killing fascists will be no different than hunting rabbits.

Bullets for your brain today,

But we’ll forget it all again!

Monuments put from pen to paper,

Turn me into a gutless wonder.

The protagonist is aware that war is brutal, but he believes he will be remembered as a hero. He’s heard lionized tales of past conflicts which have inspired him to try to take his own place among them.

The gravity keeps my head down,

Or, is it maybe shame?

At being so young,

And, being so vain?

This second verse reflect the experiences of the war itself. Despite his expectations, the protagonist does not feel like a hero. Instead, he is humble. The “gravity” refers to the horrors of war, but the protagonist is now ashamed of his earlier beliefs. His analogy was proven incorrect. He is left ashamed in his hopes that killing human beings, fascists or not, would be just like hunting animals. He has realized how terrible war truly is. 

Holes in your head today,

But I’m a pacifist!

I’ve walked La Rambla,

But, not with real intent.

These lines suggest that the violence of the war has shocked the protagonist into trying to distance himself from his support of the Republican forces. The assertion of the protagonist’s pacifism is a change of tune from his earlier convictions. Meanwhile, La Rambla is a street in Barcelona that was taken over by anarchists during the war. The anarchists butchered the clergy, and the protagonist seems to be trying to assert he wasn’t “really” for the killing of civilians, whether he took part or not. This verse is a exploration of the protagonists’ shame at the stark contrast between his idealistic expectations and the bitter, brutal reality of the war.

And on the street tonight,

An old man plays...

With newspaper cuttings of his glory days.

The old man is the protagonist, years after the war. The imagery of an old man on the streets at night, playing with newspapers, invokes imagery of PTSD driven homelessness. He has been mentally destroyed and is unable to move past his experiences. Despite this, he has nonetheless come to glorify his memories of war.

And, if you tolerate this...

Then your children will be next!

Will be next! Will be next!

It is only after the last verse that the meaning of the chorus becomes apparent. The line itself is taken from a propaganda poster, which asserted that the fascist violence would spread worldwide if the international community did not support the Spanish Republic. In context, however, the chorus asserts that the cycle of war is everlasting. Much as the protagonist came to believe that the war which ultimately destroyed his life would make him a hero; so to could anyone fall into the same trap.

Even your own children can, and will, make the same mistakes. If you tolerate this.

[tastydelight]

Polly Walker the timeless beauty

Talk of Angels 1998

[archcracker]

hahahahha remember how the spainish civil war happened after communists and anarchists started attacking the church, history, and generally anyone they disagreed with??????? remember how the government was sympathetic to the mob and that the military wasn't?????????

hahahhahaha and remember how they ended up with a fascist in charge in the end??????????????? thank God we're not on that route though...............

[the-funtime-autocrat]

The only reason, the Spanish Socialists want to exhume the body for General Francisco Franco is revenge. The 80th anniversary of their failure is approaching and they want Spain to suffer humiliation and destruction. Franco defeated Marxism, only for a liberal Democrat king to destroy any future for Spain. NOW, a psychotic leftist, who condemns Christianity while claiming Islam had many "benefits" for Spain, wants to destroy a man who saved his country from destruction.

[unknown-box-boi]

Texas’s glasses + Story

Ok so with Texas’ Glasses it does not represent him but who he’s a part of. If my memory serves me right the republic of Texas willingly joined the US the only state to do so. So his glasses represent who owns his land (not including Spain since I HC Texas formed after the Mexican Revolution)

So here’s a small story.

Mexico sat in the fields of blue. The battle was won, it was over with. He didn’t have to worry about Spain any longer. He sat in the field of the upper part of his land. His vision has gotten blurrier and blurrier since he’s won. He rubbed his eyes confused, he’s had perfect vision before. Strange.

Mexico stood up to start his way back home but something felt off. He stood there for a moment wary and tired. He walked to where it felt like it was coming from. A grove of trees tall and thick. A soft voice singing a song he didn’t know as he walked forward.

“Hello?” Mexico asked. The singing stopped. He froze, he didn’t know what to do. He listened for movement but there was none.

“Hello!” A small voice chirped. Mexico screamed and jumped back. He looked down to see a little boy with messy brown hair that looked like a rat’s nest, like it was never brushed. Mexico frowned, who would let a child out in the forest.

The boy stared up at Mexico before taking a pair of glasses off the rim of his shirt. “Down down” The boy commanded. Mexico kneeled down and the boy put the glasses on Mexico’s face. He didn’t know what to say but they fit. The glasses actually made him see better than before. The boy laughed and giggled. Before climbing up on Mexico.

Mexico picked up the boy to realize the outfit he wore was like the one he wore long ago, when Spain first found him.

“What’s your name?” Mexico asked. The boy thought before loudly declaring “¡Tejas!” Mexico smiled. “Well Tejas, do you want to come with me?”

“Yeah yeah yeah!!” The young boy cheered.

Many years later, the young boy dressed in warm clothes snuck into his father’s room. He moved silently to his bedside. He took and left one thing before slinking out of the room undisturbed.

The next morning Mexico awoke and discovered what was left. A simple note

‘Lo siento, adiós.

Tejas’

Simple writing for the child he knew. His son was long gone by morning despite everyone in the city looking for the child he was gone. Mexico had lost his son and reserved the declaration of independence a few days after. He sat in his son’s room, he left books, clothes, paintings. Everything for something he probably never understood.

The boy stood in Washington D.C. looking at the buildings as the generals discussed what would happen to Santa Anna. The boy wanted no part of it, or the man’s possible death. The boy with messy brown hair and brown eyes stared at the buildings and people. He wore his glasses now, it was no longer Mexico who was in control of his land but it was him who controlled it.

He watched the people as he walked, in Mexico City he was never allowed out of his father’s sight but now he could walk anywhere before he was back in time for supper.

He noticed something about the town. There was many people, mostly white. Texas felt out of place with darker skin. He had reformed, why didn’t he look like everyone else? Why didn’t he look like General Huston? Or Mr Austin?

General Huston that night explained to him the many different people of the world and how everyone looked different and the boy was no exception.

Nine years past the boy was now a little taller, now only 9 when the last time he was in the capital of the United States he was barley 7. But now he was becoming a state. The 28th state. He stood in the room as the president talked legal. He never understood. English was always hard for him to understand. Texas looked over at the tall lanky man in the corner. He was the personification of the United States of America. The boy sucked in a deep breath and quietly made his way over to the blonde man. He tugged on his sleeve and asked him to talk in another room.

The boy took off his glasses his vision slightly blurred but improving as the seconds ticked. He offered them to America. He spoke as he did, “the glasses represent me, I’m no longer in possession of my land so the glasses are yours now” The boy explained with a heavy Mexican accent, it still hadn’t gone away even when being around general Huston and the other Texan presidents. America looked at the small gift before kneeling down to the brown haired boy’s level.

“Gracias.” The American spoke, having been studied the Spanish language once he caught word the young country would soon be a state. In and attempt to make the child feel more welcomed since he had trouble with English. He gently put on the glasses his vision almost instantly improving after a couple on blinks.

“I have something for you as well” America smiled reaching into his pocket. He pulled out a small leather bound notebook.

“It’s not much but General Huston told me you’ve always loved writing about all the animals and flowers you have seen in your land and I thought to give you something to keep it all more organized.” The American smiled. The boy took it and inspecting it, thin tan figures and brown eyes expecting every detail of the notebook. He smiled and wrapped his arms around the American’s neck. Excited to start his writings again since he had left all his old books back in Mexico City and never had the time to get another notebook or the courage to ask for his old ones back.

The Mexican-American War. Texas got caught in the fire and shot. He wasn’t supposed to be in the field but he had gotten there by accident. Still with the body of a ten year old he barely held on. The enemy troops stormed past his weak body as he curled trying not to be stepped on. He felt the shadow of someone over him and saw a gun drop to the trampled grass. He recognized the face above him, it was the one of his father. Not America but Mexico. Mexico scooped the boy up and held him to his chest for the second time he would watch his son die. Once at the Alamo and now on the field. Mexico stood and walked. Texas didn’t care where, he would be dead before nightfall.

“Lo siento, padre” Texas managed to say. Mexico hushed him. Mexico stood in a field of blue and sat down among them. Mexico held the boy.

“Don’t waste your energy Tejas. Just rest” Mexico pleased.

“Don’t worry” The boy smiled blood running down his chin, “I’ll be back” The boy smiled before coughing. “Lo siento, padre” the boy muttered his eyes closing.

“Don’t be sorry Tejas, don’t be sorry” Mexico repeated. Texas has passed out from the pain leaving Mexico to hold him has he died. It wasn’t long until the boy’s body faded leaving nothing but the small notebook.

Mexico gently picked up and read it’s contents. Notes of different animals and plants. The descriptions and names written in Spanish and English, sometimes only Spanish other in English. On other pages on alternating sentences or adding a spainish word into an English sentence. Mexico read each page carefully until one of his men came to get him. Mexico after the war went to his son’s room and placed the notebook on the shelf of others.

Years past with no word about Texas; until the civil war. At the end when the confederate states of America personification was shot dead and the war efforts were put to rest Mexico sent a letter to Alfred, asking of his son’s heath. He waited 3 months but finally he got a letter from America. In the latter he got an address and two pieces of paper. One from America and one from Texas, his son. America’s letter contained a photo of the Southern bell with a smile and what seemed to be brand new clothes and a horse. Texas was no doubt happy to be back in the arms of America and no longer under the control of Confederate. He had met him once in a meeting and he could tell he was bad. The letter from Texas was far longer and had a lot of emotion in the scribbled out half words and sentences he didn’t want to be read, but Mexico deciphered them anyway. In the letter Texas wrote of how he was doing better and many tales of what he had done but at the end, hurt Mexico but he understood the child still held grief and pain from his revolution. He wasn’t ready to meet Mexico again, at least at the moment. But Mexico was okay with that. He could wait, and he could write. It consistent, letters going back and forth and he kept each one. As technology progressed Texas shared pictures of places he was and things he got. Most of them where of his pets, a long horn, armadillo and a diamond back rattle snake. He wasn’t sure how Alfred allowed the last one. But Mexico could wait and wait until Texas was ready to meet him again. It wasn’t like he couldn’t get stories from Alfred, he had the man’s number he couldn’t count how many embarrassing stories America has shared with Mexico despite their government’s current dispute. The government could take a hike. Mexico was content with letters from his son and stories from America and soon Canada shared one of Texas’ displeasures with snow, as well as cold in general. Mexico could wait. He was happy with what he could get. But he could wait until he could see his son in person once again.

Okay, not so short.

[omg-jwilder]

Books On Spain, The Moors and Morocco

Books of interest…

Cervantes has continued for centuries to draw readers and scholars as Don Quixote  tilts at  his windmills. Spanish history and its conquistadores hold a wide sway over the imagination of the locals and the North Americans. The story of Spain while not as complex as say the Middle East, is long, varied and punctuated with the Moorish occupation. 

Where does a reader go to satisfy their curiosity?

At 900+ pages James Michener’s “Iberia” is a reference book, a travel guide, a history and much more. It was written by a man that held Spain in high regard from an early age. The sub title is ‘Spanish travel and reflections’.  This is my best reference for many day trips across Spain. Highly recommended.

It may surprise many readers that America’s Washington Irving is esteemed in Andalucia. His “Tales of the Alhambra” is still widely read. There is the well marked Washington Irving route across many villages where he was known to have visited. His book, “The Tales of the Alhambra” bring the Alhambra to life. Keep in mind it is highly romanticized about the Moorish inhabitants but still a popular primer to southern Spain.

Seneca- ‘On the Shortness of Life’ This is one where the writer speaks loudly thru the ages. For many Spaniards he is alive in their lives and actions. It is short tome, a quick read, it is a real classic. Some Spaniards will say every person in Spain follows the philosophy of either Seneca or Cervantes.

“Death in the Afternoon” by Ernest Hemingway, the sports book and the only sports book written by a winner of a Nobel Prize. Bull fighting is a national heritage of Spain and some basic grasp of the theatre that surrounds the arena and the matador will produce a nuanced opinion.  [Hint the costume is called the custom of lights, custumbre de luz.]

A second  bullfighting book by Hemingway written at the end of his career, “Dangerous Spring” is really for the reader that wants a deeper understanding of the arena and the lives of the killer of bulls, el matador. 

‘Lords of the Atlas’ The rise and fall of the House of Glaouna 1893-1956 by Gavin Maxwell is a history of modern Morocco. Morocco is a melting pot and a cross roads. The influences are many and varied and not always easy to see or understand. This will give the reader many clues as to why these people and their country is appealing and so special. This is not a book for everyone and there will be times the book is tossed aside but to goes well beyond a simple tourist view of Morocco.  It is essential reading if you plan an extended stay.  

“Sherry Manzanilla Montilla” - A guide to the traditional wines of Andalucia’, Peter Liem & Jesus Barquin. This is a professional wine book about fino and the special wines produced in the south of Spain. There are others on the topic but this is what the experts read. 

Luis Gutierrez, ‘The New Vigerons’ sub title ‘the new generation of Spainish wine growers’. If you intend to stay longer than a week this maybe a good wine guide. Spain is the largest producer of wines in the world nowadays. The  wines regions,  the grapes,  varied styles and blends will richly reward those that know what they are buying and when to buy it. It is a professional’s wine book.

‘A Guide to Fortified Wines’ - Pauline & Sheldon Wasserman. This slim  older edition has all the beginner needs know to enjoy a port, fino, ollorosso, Pedro Ximenez [aka PX] or wines of Montilla=Morales.  Recall that the food must match the wine. With seafood, especially fried seafood a clear crisp chilled fino is the classic paring.

George Orwell “Homage to Catalonia” a well known book on the Spanish civil war. Again, not for the casual reader but a good read. 

“Morocco” - Hueges D’Emelde [check spelling] A coffee table book by Teschan and it is a visual treat. It is long out of print but it may linger in the local library or online. It captures the mood and scale of the lands.

“Moorish Spain” by Richard Fletcher This 1992 book provides a picture of the Moors during their attempt to conquer Spain. There are regional conflicts and endless battles. Names and many familiar names rise and fall thru the narrative and slavery is a constant.  A well written history that casts light on an era not many really delve into including the Spanish.

A lasting truth for us is that the writer is the most immortal of beings. They are by their written text allowed to produce conversations, share experiences, or provoke debate years maybe, even centuries after their death. 

Our family reads a lot, we read widely and sometimes in a random manner but books are a big part of our home and we hope that these texts are useful in you Iberian adventures. So there you have it, my Spanish, Moorish, and Moroccan reading list. It is not complete and will surely expand as soon as this is published. We welcome your ideas and referrals. 

Adios

The J Wilder Group 

2019 AD

[mars-the-4th-planet]

The Teracoatl River Civilization

Part I: The Beginning.

The Teracoatl River civilization began with settlers settling unsettlingly on the sides of the Sarasota River. The most important settlements were Xyclair, Terracyclatia, Quezecticonopedia, Kyarven, and South River Town. Others, such as Northwest River Town, were later considered not to be part of the five Teracoatl cities. This is primarily due to the fact that it was next to the sea, not the river. It would later be renamed "California" in memory of its first democratic leader Cali Forn.

The name Teracoatl also calls from the first leaders. In this case, the Teracoatl Dynasty that began in 864 B.C. and continues to this day. (a marriage between a woman named Tera and a man named Coatl) They were an absolute monarchy in the beginning and would could continue to be that way for over a thousand years. For a long time there would be a dark age where little was written down so we are not sure what happened in the following centuries, but there is some evidence of fighting among the Teracoatl settlements since they were not all one country yet. At least until the real beginning began.

Part II: The Real Beginning.

Teracoatl really began in the modern day capital of Terracyclatia, there the Teracoatl Dynasty ruled the city in the middle of the river loop for hundreds of years. But in the year 2 A.D. the neighboring town of Xyclair formed a union with them. This was because the Xycloclia Dynasty had turned foul from repeated incest and the people wanted a king who could eat without help. While the Teracoatl Dynasty enjoyed being able to rule two cities, they maintained that Terracyclatia was the "best" city (which would later translate to "capital") and used the Xyclair people as cannon fodder for their conquest of the the southern towns which they conquered over the course of just three years. This was so fast and easy because they hadnt made city walls yet back then.

Then the next three decades were spent forcefully assimilating the people of these cities. Which went well but was very costly. This resulted in the Teracoatl people opening trade with Paris and Spain when they were unable to obtain all goods they wanted at home.

Part III: The First Diplomacy.

This was to be one of the darkest times in Teracoatl history, possibly moreso than even the dark ages.

Teracoatl was using its unification well, and was on good terms with the Californicate, the Parisites, the Englandi, and the Spainish. They traded and worked together neutrally with them. But the Spainish people did not like how cozy their leaders were getting with the heretical pagan Teracoatls. In the year 100 the Bull Catholics overthrew the spainish king (name unknown) in a coup, and put the Bull Pope in charge. The Bull Pope proceeded to discriminate against Teracoatl merchants and immigrants, a move that the Teracoatl King Coatl XXXXV said "they will write their regret in blood." And prepared for war.

Angry at the mistreatment of their people, a large army consisting of five forces from each city was gathered without even needing to be drafted. They volenteered to fight, perhaps not realizing how horrible war really was. After a few months of rigorous combat training and discipline, the First Spainish-Teracoatl war had begun.

Part IV: It all goes wrong.

The Teracoatls had a sixth force, the already formed Capital Guard who remained home while the newly trained and equipped Five City Forces marched off into the dry scrubland on the way to the city of Spain.

On the way there they foraged what they could, since the supply line was long and it was becoming increasingly difficult to feed and water the soldiers the further they got from the river cities. They kept going onward, however. The soldiers would sometimes joke "Who is ready to put the pain back in Spain?" and other puns on the way there.

Apon reaching the city of Spain, they found something they never had to deal with before: An enormous city wall. They didnt know what to do. The commanders ordered a seige, but the city folk had ordered as much food brought into the city as possible, and the city itself was supplied with water inside by an underground lake that they had dozens of wells leading down into. Outside all the wells had been crushed and filled with rocks to prevent the invaders from getting enough water. And what few oasis and small streams there were happened to be few and spread out, forcing the seigers to constantly be on the move, spread out around the land around the city desperate for water and food. The fields had likewise been rushfully harvested before they showed up, meaning food was scarce.

In the year 101 the Teracoatl King declared the war was a stalemate and that they should go home. At first he planned to starve out the enemy. But his own troops faced worse attrition than the spainish were so that would never work. Then he planned an assault on the walls. But what few trees there were, they were all short and gnarly. Bad for making seige ladders. So they had no choice but to make the hard long trek back home.

It was a hard lesson for the Teracoatl, that city walls were effective. Perhaps even necessary. Had the spainish not had them it was almost certain they would lose against the Five City Forces since all they had was the Bull Catholicism Militia, an untrained and unorganized force of religious thugs.

Part V: Hillbilly attacks.

What was happening while the seige was taking place? Raiders from the mountains to the north came down and messed up a bunch of villages along the northern coast of the river. Villages that were a part of Teracoatl. They were burned, looted, and had their women and children taken back to the hills as slaves. Any who fought back (mostly the men of the villages) were brutally killed in ways we should not describe on this page. The Capital Guard exited Terracyclatia to go and protect them, but they had to be ferried across both sides of the river and march on up to where the villages were. By the time they got there, the Hillbillies had left. Xyclairs army would have been closer, and may have been able to stop them in time. But they had gone off into foreign lands to fight.

This fact made King Coatl XXXXV very unpopular. The commoners and elites alike thought he had forsaken his people to barbaric treatment from the raiders. For the sake of a war that ended in failure anyway. The survivors of the attacks went into the cities and became depressed beggers. Nobody felt safe enough to leave their cities to go trade and visit other places, so the economy dropped. Revolts broke out in the streets.

It seemed like the Teracoatl River civilization was about to break apart.

Part VI: California.

But then what Coatl XXXXV described as a "Miracle" happened: The Californicate offered a full alliance with no catch as far as they could see. The Californians and their democratic ways seemed strange to the Teracoatls, but they shared the same enemy and had more or less the same culture so they accepted the alliance.

Together they patrolled the northern river, keeping raiders away. This re-opened trade routes, and the large population of unemployed Teracoatls ended up moving to California seeking work since California was known to have legal rights and protections for its laborers both native and foreign. California was facing its own difficulties as it did not have enough workers to supply the demands for the quickly growing town, so it worked out for them to have a bunch of Teracoatls come in looking for jobs. Many became cheap hired hands for farms and shops and mercenaries for the army.

Because of this, unemployment dropped in Teracoatl and people generally became a bit less poor. By 110, so soon after the disasterous war campaign, Teracoatl was doing well both economically and militarily. The king, Coatl XXXXV, died on the first day of May on 112 and with him the last of the revolts. Peace and prosperity had come back to the kingdom of Teracoatl, and they had made a new friend and ally in the process.

That concludes the ancient times period of the Teracoatl River Civilization. Just think, without rivers none of this could have happened. Rivers are always important in the creation of the large and full of prosperity civilizations we read about. Back in ancient times, you could put a tribe or a village on a field or on a beach or in the hills or wherever, sure. But to build an empire you needed a River or two.

[maximuswolf]

Elevating Class Consciousness in the US via /r/communism

Elevating Class Consciousness in the US

The problem here in the United States is that people think Communism is abstract, foreign, or invasive due to decades of conditioning. This anti-communist sentiment has always been around, and has always been propped up by reactionary elements to this day.

The process of elevating class consciousness comes in waves. Appealing to the everyday worker is step one.

One thing American workers understand is that they produce more value than they are paid in wages. Ask any worker who makes $10 an hour how much value they actually produce per hour. They will all say they produce more. The problem is they don't understand that this extra value goes into the pocket of the capitalist as profit and that this is the fundamental exploitative feature of capitalism.

The next step is being a bit more complex in our discussions, even if it means pushing the boundary or narrative regarding those unfamiliar with Communism itself. If we take a closer look, we can see it's been orchestrated around the fabric of America for decades.

Here's a few examples:

Members of the German Communist League fought in the US Civil War on the Union Side. (the most significant in the link here but there were at least two others) here.

The Abraham Lincoln Battalion, filled with American international volunteers who fought in the Spainish Civil War: here

The John Reed Clubs (1929-1935) of sympathetic intellectuals: here 

Throw in a few uprisings maybe:

The Great Railroad Strike of 1877: here

Shamokin Uprising (1877) as part of the great railroad strike: here

The Battle of Blair Mountain (1921) as the largest labor uprising in US history: here

It's been here the entire time. People have just been conditioned to not only despise it, but fear it.

Submitted October 10, 2020 at 08:49AM by DialecticMaterial via reddit https://ift.tt/2GQhmi6

[boykeats]

(1/2) Hi, Lorca anon again! So, I wasn't able to ask any questions because he only took 4, and 3 were about where he thinks Lorca is buried (not knowing where killed Civil War republicans are buried is a very controversial thing in Spainish politics and people were out to kill with this one). I'm sorry! Since it was quite general: how he views the effect of their queerness on their writings is widely discussed in his following books: Lorca-Dalí: Love That Couldn't be, Lorca And The Gay World

(2/2) I must add that all of his books refer to his being gay. He actually spoke about that in length, making point about not understanding how anyone could ever write a biography and not name something as central to the person (as Lorca’s brother and sister did, he was quite bitter about that, actually), and how when he started he had the benefit of being a foreigner, because his books in Spain were forbidden and had he been Spanish he could not have written them in the first place

thank you so much for getting back to me! it’s totally fine that you couldn’t ask the question, i understand. i deeply appreciate this information! and i have to agree with his perspective on that. i’m going to add those books to my to-read list. hope you had a lovely time!

[ailedhoo]

BadEmpanda gives a critique of Jared Diamond’s Guns, Germs & Steel

The critique focus on chapter 6 of Guns, Germs & Steel, with focus on Spanish imperial conquests against the Incan Empire, starting with the element on the capture of Atahualpa by Francisco Pizarro. The restructuring of the Incan Empire is not taken by Jared Diamond, who instead took to make reductive takings on the indigenous power while taking the untruthful source of the Conquistadors at face value.

The accounts of the colonialists are taken at face value by Diamond. The examination of events at Cuzco, Vilcas and Vilcacunca Pass is given particular focus by BadEmpanda on this, for starters. It was not Spaniards alone; they did process indigenous allies. Where did Diamond get the idea was a hundred horsemen vs entire Incan forces. In truth many who allied with the Spanish Conquistadors were trying to use them for their own means.

In many ways Diamond has alas hype the reasons declared by the Spanish Conquistadors to justify why they claimed, including taking hypes over the cavalry without taking accounts of the full own events of the battles. The Incans had shown particular resistance against the Spanish forces and their allies. There were rebellions.

The conquest of the Aztecs and Incas by the Spainish Conquistadors was conducted via aid of native allies, not by ‘steel and horses’ Diamonds gives focus on. BadEmpanda gives a highlight of the defeats colonial forces faced in order to examine the full reason for what happened.

Was technology useful? Sure. The reason as Diamond states? No.

On disease: BadEmpanda looks at smallpox as used by Diamond. The politics of the situation are examined along with the patterns. It cannot be explained as simply as germs and steel; diseases did play a role in colonialism as a whole but the shoehorn has to be examined.

On central organizations: the Conquistadors were under a private endeavor. Hand-waving of Incan organization is conducted by Diamond, while then going on writing...note that both Atahualpa and Francisco Pizarro had use of spies.

In the end Jared Diamond’s grand theory using Environmental Determinism rely on examples mis-characterized. Diamond’s Guns, Germs & Steel comes to a conclusion first and tries backwards, ignoring modern historians to instead go onto myths of “hordes of barbarians vs technological Europeans.” It also sets to take colonialism as not as injustices but as destined as it were to excuse: no one has agency in this.

BadEmpanda gives a excellent critique.

The course of history was set by courses of events and reactions till today; not tidy in some pattern as it were. Broad patterns are a thing one likes, that there is a rhyme or reason, even when there is not.

Sources BadEmpanda used:

[1] Key Concepts in Political Geography, Carolyn Gallaher & others

[2] The Inca civil war and the establishment of Spanish power in Peru, John H. Rowe

[3] The Conquest of the Incas, John Hemming

[4] Seven Myths of the Spanish Conquest, Matthew Restall

[5] Using Digital Tools to Construct a Spatial History of Conquest, Jeremy M. Mikecz

[6] A Peruvian Chief of State: Manco Inca (1515-1545), George Kubler

[7] The Last Days Of The Incas, Kim MacQuarrie

BadEmpanda also gave plenty of additional critiques of Jared Diamond and Environmental Determinism:

Environmentalism and Eurocentrism, James M. Blaut 

Questioning Collapse, Patricia A. McAnany 

Reexamining the Lore of the “Archetypal Conquistador”: Hernán Cortés and the Spanish Conquest of the Aztec Empire, 1519-1521, Thomas Brinkerhoff 

Reducing the Future to Climate: A Story of Climate Determinism and Reductionism, Mike Hulme

Marketing conquest and the vanishing Indian: An Indigenous response to Jared Diamond's Guns, Germs, and Steel and Collapse, Michael Wilcox

A Human Geographer's Response to Guns, Germs, and Steel : The Case of Agrarian Development and Change in Madagascar, Lucy Jarosz

https://savageminds.org/2005/07/25/whats-wrong-with-yalis-question/

https://savageminds.org/2005/07/24/anthropologys-guns-germs-and-steel-problem/

[animals-are-comrades-too]

This is a really striking picture from the Spanish civil war. I don’t think we should forget that it was the CNT and POUM who held off the fascists whilst the republican army had to be created and mobilised. Were it not for those brave comrades , Spain would’ve fallen much sooner.

No parasan

[ruinsofthevatican-blog]

"They Shall Not Pass"

The poster depicts troops of the CNT-FAI, the anarcho-syndicalist faction who fought against Franco during the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939).

[free-nehptune]

To die for Christ, my young friends, is to live.

Last words of Saint Jaime Hilario, Spanish Clergyman and Martyr (1889-1937)

[aflameoffreedom-blog]

Durruti's funeral, Via Laietana