It was unfortunate that they were long
Mausers.
The seizure of the Barcelona TelephoneExchange was
simply one incident in a long process. It was not commonsense to expect anything but
resistance.
Thefighting was, however, mainly defensive on both
sides.
I myself did not seethe leaflet or La Batalla of
that date. But it is necessary to try and establish the truth, so far as it
ispossible.
On the whole the Assault Guardsgot on very well
with the population after the first day or two. The firing died away and
withsurprising suddenness the streets filled with people. He asked the question
everyone was asking:What the devil is this all about? One must remember that the
Civil Guards were not loved by theworking-class population. I do not believe it was,
though certain things might lead one to suspect it. Any internal disorderwas likely
to aid Franco. From the propaganda point of view this may have been the rightline;
certainly the P.
It must have been late that evening that the troops
from Valencia firstappeared in the streets. There is also some uncertainty as tohow
far La Batalla expressed agreement with the leaflet. From the propaganda point of
view this may have been the rightline; certainly the P. I do not believe it was,
though certain things might lead one to suspect it.
Obviously it is impossibleto say with any certainty
what these were. He asked the question everyone was asking:What the devil is this
all about?
The issue was not quite so simple as that. The
French lorry drivers brought quantities oftheir oranges into the hotel.
Insuch circumstances nobody was sure enough of the
issue to go on fighting. I went back to my post on the roof with a feeling of
concentrated disgust andfury. After all, you were only acting under orders. It was
noticeable, however, that thetrams did not start running. It must have been late
that evening that the troops from Valencia firstappeared in the
streets.
Bands of them boarded trams, searched the
passengers, and, if they had C. It was not onlythat they were picked men physically,
it was their weapons that most astonishedme. My own opinion is that the fighting was
only preconcerted in the sense thateveryone expected it.
Did it definitely aim at overthrowing
theGovernment? It was noticeable, however, that thetrams did not start running. This
shortage of food went on for several days after the fighting wasover.
Insuch circumstances nobody was sure enough of the
issue to go on fighting. So far as one could gather from what peoplewere saying at
the time the C. There were no signs of any very definite plan on eitherside. There
were no signs of any very definite plan on eitherside.
It is perhaps just conceivable that those
responsibleimagined that it would not lead to trouble.
One or two foreign women hurriedly regularizedtheir
position by marrying Spaniards.
Obviously it is impossibleto say with any certainty
what these were.