The victory of fascism in Spain in 1936 set the stage for World War II. As Gerald Howson argues in this startling and compelling new look at the Spanish Civil War, that victory was ensured by the non-fascist European powers. When military officers and rich landowners rebelled against the left-wing Spanish government in 1936, the Spanish Republic found itself abandoned by other European nations. Hoping to prevent the escalation of the conflict into a world war, European leaders created an international arms embargo against Spain. Through a unique combination of exhaustive research, forensic skills, and technical expertise on armaments, Gerald Howson establishes that the arms embargo played a much greater part in the Republic's defeat than is usually acknowledged. - Jacket flap.