Herbert Southworth (1908-1999) was an outstanding historian of the Spanish Civil War. His many superb books include Le mythe de la croisade de Franco (1964), and Guernica! Guernica! A Study of Journalism, Diplomacy, Propaganda and History (1977). This new book is a triumphant affirmation of his career as a historian and opponent of fascism. Based on years of careful research, and written with lucidity, wit and humour, this book is both an excellent introduction to the vast literature on the war, and a significant contribution to that literature.

Southworth tells us exactly how Spanish fascists concocted the story of a 'communist plot' to try to justify their July 1936 military uprising against the democratically elected government. He shows how Spain's fascists accused their enemies of the anti-democratic conspiracy that they were brewing themselves - a technique that fascists have used from Berlin in 1933 to Indonesia in 1965. Fascist propagandists throughout Europe, particularly in Britain, publicised the story of the 'plot'. Too many subsequent historians have followed these propagandists and repeated their fascist fabrications. Southworth refutes in detail both the crude, open pro-Franco propagandists like Brian Crozier and the more sly anti-working class biases of Hugh Thomas.

The second part of the book deals with the writings that most influenced General Franco himself. It tells the story of Franco's associations with the Entente Internationale contre la Troisieme International, which consisted of a White Russian and a Swiss lawyer. This anti-democratic, anti-communist propaganda unit purveyed the usual dreary litany of diatribes against Jews and Freemasons; it naturally backed Hitler, Mussolini and Franco from first to last, and it passed on and embellished every lie and slander about trade unions, the labour movement, socialists and communists. Southworth proves that this tenth-rate dishonest tripe had a profound influence on General Franco.