The Pete Quiñones Show Episode 1323: The Spanish Civil War - Radicalizing a Moderate Socialist Pt. 2 of 2 - w/ Karl Dahl and Morghur
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Jan 29, 2026 Karl Dahl, an author of Spanish Civil War history and historical fiction, joins Morghur, a Spain-based translator of Civil War sources. They trace Largo Caballero’s radical turn, militia centralization into a regular army, Soviet involvement and NKVD purges. They cover Catalonia’s anarchist-POUM conflicts, the May 1937 Barcelona clashes, and Largo’s fall, exile, and imprisonment.
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Miners Transformed Into Shock Troops
- Asturian miners became key republican shock troops due to their explosives expertise and sabotage of infrastructure.
- Their actions show how local social movements can convert industrial skills into military power quickly.
Prieto's Cushioned Escape To France
- Alejandro Prieto fled to France in a comical, awkward escape involving sofa cushions for comfort in a car trunk.
- His quick flight contrasted with Largo Caballero, who stayed and faced consequences rather than flee.
Amnesty Reshaped Political Accountability
- A 1934 retroactive amnesty nullified charges for political agitation, letting Largo Caballero avoid life imprisonment.
- Legal maneuvers reshaped political accountability and altered who remained influential in 1930s Spain.
