ABSTRACT
The inhabitants of the village of Berkrane, in French Morocco, were astounded to see two heavy planes fly very low overhead on July 29, 1936, their engines frequently missing, and then come down unskillfully just beyond the farthest shacks; one of the planes ground-looped. Italian anti-Fascists were in their front lines, and in this fashion to the Spanish civil war played a part in the history of Mussolini's Italy. For the Italian exiles the struggle in Spain was the continuation of the battle that they had fought in Italy and in addition the presage of future battles. "Fascist style" was the incessant theme of the press and of meetings; "gagas"—long-haired young jazz enthusiasts—were pariahs. On October 21 the "Legionaries" home from Spain paraded before the King and a huge throng. The newspapers proudly listed the Italians' losses, which were higher than those of the Ethiopian campaign. Italy paid high for General Franco's friendship.
