Guernica

I am reading a historical novel about the bombing of the Basque town in northern Spain in 1937; it is entitled "Guernica" and was written by Dave Boling.  The story tells us a lot about the way of the people of the Basque region of Spain and their sense of independence from Spain or France.  The author claims that Spain had granted to the region a form of autonomy and the Basque people had elected a President whose name was Jose Antonio Aguirre (I will have to research to confirm).  The destruction of the town is well described and it is noted that there was one significant target of military importance in the town but it was not bombed.  The story also tells of the painting of the mural-Guernica-by Pablo Picasso.  (I will try to add more later)

WWI and new research

The Nation from 12/2/13 reviews three new tomes about the war to end all wars.  They are The War That Ended Peace by Margaret MacMillan, The Sleepwalkers by Christopher Clark, and Dance of the Furies by Michael S. Nieberg.  I am not reviewing them all or reviewing the review of then but just wanted to note a few items.  MacMillan notes that the decision to go to war "...was made by a surprisingly small number (of men) who came largely but not entirely from the upper classes, whether the landed aristocracy or urban plutocracy".  It was key individuals rather than "broad categorical forces".  Nieberg claims that "...the elites in Berlin, and Austria and to a lessor extent St. Petersburg were the only ones who truly did want war".  These writes all blame the "Great Men" theory for the war coming about.  "Contrary to popular belief, most Europeans were not rabid nationalists hankering for a blood feud".  Nieberg also claims that up to the last "days and hours" individual decisions could have stopped the rush to war.

(Source:  The Nation "Behind the Storm" by Tara Zahra.  12/2/13)