The Pattern of Our War

In warfare, as in architecture or poetry, each period has a dominant style. The elaborate encircling sieges of Louis XIV went forward with all the decorous precision of a minuet; the king himself usually turned up for the dénouement attended by his mistress and his Epic Poet. More recently, the campaigns of Grant and Eisenhower quite clearly are continuous with the culture of the factory and the assembly line.

The importance of the Spanish Civil War lies in the fact that it was the prototype of a new style. Despite frequent claims to the contrary, it did not foreshadow World War II, which was really a replay of World War I. The Spanish Civil War established the pattern of our war, the internationalized civil war, and that is why it continues to be the subject of fascinated examination by such writers as Hugh Thomas, Allan Guttmann, and now Vincent Brome.

About the Author

Jeffrey Hart

Jeffrey Hart is a contributor to National Review.

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In warfare, as in architecture or poetry, each period has a dominant style. The elaborate encircling sieges of Louis XIV went forward with all the decorous precision of a minuet; the king himself usually turned up for the dénouement attended by his mistress and his Epic Poet. More recently, the campaigns of Grant and Eisenhower quite clearly are continuous with the culture of the factory and the assembly line.

The importance of the Spanish Civil War lies in the fact that it was the prototype of a new style. Despite frequent claims to the contrary, it did not foreshadow World War II, which was really a replay of World War I. The Spanish Civil War established the pattern of our war, the internationalized civil war, and that is why it continues to be the subject of fascinated examination by such writers as Hugh Thomas, Allan Guttmann, and now Vincent Brome.