Although twentieth-century Spain has been dominated by the forces of the Right, historians have tended to concentrate their attentions on the Spanish Left. "The Politics of Revenge" redresses this balance with a disturbing interpretation of how fascists and militarists combined to overthrow democracy in Spain in the 1930s and maintained a cruel and corrupt dictatorship until the 1970s. Paul Preston's engrossing study focuses on the army officers and Falangists who advocated and practiced political violence. Its provocative interpretation of the Spanish Right in its authoritarian, fascist and military forms constitutes an original vision of a ruthless political scene. Preston is currently the world's leading authority on Spanish history. Through his thorough analysis of 40 years of fascist dictatorship in Spain, "The Politics of Revenge" will prove an indispensable aid to an understanding of 20th century Spanish and European history.

Author's Note; Preface; Chronology; Part I: Defending the Past: Resisting modernity: fascism and the military in twentieth- century Spain; The Politics of Revenge: Francoism, the Civil War and collective memory; Part II: Surviving the Present: Franco and the Axis temptation; Franco and his generals, 1939-45; Part III: Instruments of Dictatorship: Populism and parasitism: the Falange and the Spanish establishment, 1939-75; Destiny and dictatorship: the Spanish army and the Franco regime, 1939-75; Part IV: Resurrecting the Past: Into the bunker: the extreme right and the struggle against democracy, 1967-77; Francoism's last stand: the military campaign against democracy, 1973-82; Further reading; Index