ABSTRACT
If the saga of Madrid can be interpreted as the victory of determined amateurs (with a professional leavening) over pure professionals, its sequel reflects in a diluted form similar virtues and similar defects. Government by committee, by party and by trade union slowly gave way to a more familiar, hierarchical system, with little, if any, pressure successfully exerted from below. The new Popular Army, however, still displayed some of its original characteristics even under its new masters. The problems were diverse. Localism and conflicting political loyalties were the most important, exacerbated by an almost universal suspicion of the communists. There were simple difficulties in communication, with Russian commanders able to give orders only in Russian, or International Brigaders speaking little or no Spanish. In the campaigns, what was most disturbing was the failure of the Republic to hold any new ground. There were major offensives, at Teruel and on the Ebro, leading to the occupation of Nationalist territory, but this was followed by its loss, at great human and material cost.
