Chomsky on Anarchism.pdf - Zine Library

CHOMSKY ON ANARCHISM
Republic,* and made some attempt to prevent Franco from ferrying trOOps
from Morocco to Spain. Italian and German involvement in overcoming these
efforts is well documented; 1 28 the British role has received less attention, but
can be determined from contemporary reports. On August 11, 1936, the New
York Times carried a frontpage report on British naval actions in the Straits of
Gibraltar, commenting that "this action helps the Rebels by preventing attacks
on Algeciras, where troops from Morocco land." (A few days earlier, loyalist
warships had bombarded Algeciras, damaging the British consulate.) An
accompanying dispatch from Gibraltar describes the situation as it appeared
from there:
Angered by the Spanish factions' endangering of shipping and
neutral Gibraltar territory in their fighting, Great Britain virtu
ally blockaded Gibraltar Harbor last night with the huge battleship
Queen Elizabeth in the center of the entrance, constantly
playing searchlights on nearby waters.
Many British warships patrolled the entire Strait today,
determined to prevent interference with Britain's control over
the entrance to the Mediterranean, a vital place in the British
"lifeline to the East."
This action followed repeated warnings to the Spanish
Government and yesterday's decree that no more fighting would
be permitted in Gibraltar Harbor. The British at Gibraltar had
become increasingly nervous after the shelling of Algeciras by
the Loyalist battleship Jaime 1.
69
Although British neutrality is still maintained, the patrol of the
Strait and the closing of the harbor will aid the military Rebels
because Loyalist warships cannot attempt to take Algeciras, now in
Rebel hands, and completely isolate the Rebels from Morocco. The
Rebels now can release some troops, who were nuhed back to
Algeciras, for dury further north in the drive for Madrid
It was reported in Gibraltar tonight that the Rebels had sent
a transport across the Strait and had landed more troops from
Morocco for use in the columns that are marching northward
from headquarters at Seville.
This was the second time this year that Britain warned a
power when she believed her measure of Mediterranean control
was threatened, and it remains to be seen whether the Madrid
Government will flout the British as the Italians did. If it
attempts to do so, the British gunners of the Gibraltar fort have
"'-0 be more precise, pro-Franco officers were killed, and the seamen remained loyal to the
Republic, in many instances.