yevkassem72
Resident Jacobin
- Joined
- Aug 22, 2006
- Posts
- 3,057
Set in the Spanish Civil War of 1936-1939:
Anastasio Serrano led his company of POUM volunteers into the small hamlet in Andalusia, where a Nationalist detachment was in control. The assault might well be repulsed, as were the previous two, but he had to try again. Every hamlet retaken from the Fascists gave the government cover to evacuate to Valencia for the time being. That would in turn improve the Loyalist forces' odds of winning the Civil War.
The POUM were a radical, left-wing peasant's and worker's militia, as opposed to the regular Republican army under the direct command of President Manuel Azana, and the new International Brigades, mostly Communists, who were on their way from various foreign powers.
Serrano was a syndicalist, so he didn't quite trust the Reds, but he would fight alongside them for now against the greater menace created by Franco and his forces. His rank of captain was mostly for form's sake, since the company was a bit too democratic to be practical at times. He sometimes wondered if perhaps a bit more discipline would help, but good luck getting a band of anarchists and fellow syndicalists to go along with that, not to mention trade-unionist and rough peasant farmers.
The company was co-ed, as well. There were several girls in the militia, mostly progressive, independent types, as opposed to traditional, old-fashioned ladies. Many of the latter backed Franco, anyway, due to their blind allegiance to the old regime.
Among the former, however, was a very sensual anarchist named Luisa Juana Velasco. She was more than just a pretty face, but also a damned good shot with the bolt-action rifles smuggled into Spain over the objections of many governments. She was as fiercely loyal to the POUM as she was angrily hostile to any attempts to win her heart. Then again, dismissal as a lover by a Communist who had joined the regular army had done that to her. She was suspicious of anyone when it came to love these days.
Anastasio Serrano led his company of POUM volunteers into the small hamlet in Andalusia, where a Nationalist detachment was in control. The assault might well be repulsed, as were the previous two, but he had to try again. Every hamlet retaken from the Fascists gave the government cover to evacuate to Valencia for the time being. That would in turn improve the Loyalist forces' odds of winning the Civil War.
The POUM were a radical, left-wing peasant's and worker's militia, as opposed to the regular Republican army under the direct command of President Manuel Azana, and the new International Brigades, mostly Communists, who were on their way from various foreign powers.
Serrano was a syndicalist, so he didn't quite trust the Reds, but he would fight alongside them for now against the greater menace created by Franco and his forces. His rank of captain was mostly for form's sake, since the company was a bit too democratic to be practical at times. He sometimes wondered if perhaps a bit more discipline would help, but good luck getting a band of anarchists and fellow syndicalists to go along with that, not to mention trade-unionist and rough peasant farmers.
The company was co-ed, as well. There were several girls in the militia, mostly progressive, independent types, as opposed to traditional, old-fashioned ladies. Many of the latter backed Franco, anyway, due to their blind allegiance to the old regime.
Among the former, however, was a very sensual anarchist named Luisa Juana Velasco. She was more than just a pretty face, but also a damned good shot with the bolt-action rifles smuggled into Spain over the objections of many governments. She was as fiercely loyal to the POUM as she was angrily hostile to any attempts to win her heart. Then again, dismissal as a lover by a Communist who had joined the regular army had done that to her. She was suspicious of anyone when it came to love these days.
