In today’s podcast, I talk to historian, lecturer, and author Dr. Richard Baxell about his research into motivation and morale of British volunteers who served in the International Brigade during the Spanish Civil War. During the Spanish Civil War, around 2, 500British volunteers joined the International Brigades to fight alongside the Spanish Republicans against General Franco’s Nationalist forces. Motivated by ideological convictions, solidarity with the Spanish people, and opposition to fascism, these volunteers saw the conflict as a crucial battle between democracy and totalitarianism. Despite the British government’s non-intervention policy, many Britons were driven to take action, joining the International Brigades clandestinely. They fought in key battles throughout the war, facing formidable challenges but leaving a lasting legacy of international solidarity and anti-fascist resistance. This episode has been recorded to complement the launch of Sean Scullion’s book on Spanish Republicans and their service in the British and French armies during WW2.
