Between the Wars: The Road to Pearl Harbor - The Spanish Civil War on AllMovie

The Spanish Civil War (1936-1939) has been called the "testing ground" of World War II. The fascistic rebel General Francisco Franco defeated the republican government with the help of the Axis powers Germany and Italy. Hosted by acclaimed newsman Eric Sevareid, who was a World War II war correspondent, this episode of the PBS documentary series shows how America's instinct for neutrality was reinforced when the Communist Soviet Union support Spain's republican government. A handful of Americans, however, formed the "Lincoln Brigade" and fought on the losing republican side. Nazi Germany tried out its latest planes and bombing tactics during this war. Highlights of this program include newsreel and archival film footage and photos, as well as interviews with historians.