A-Infos (en) France, Monde Libertaire - History Pages No. 123: In Franco's Jails (ca, de, fr, it, pt, tr)[machine translation]

For a long time, political prisons were considered primarily male. In 
this book, Irène Gimenez demonstrates that this is a construct. Through 
interviews with former political prisoners held in the dictatorship's 
jails, internal documentation from prisoner support organizations, and 
some archives of the repression, the author shows that prison was 
initially a place of confinement for women activists, but also a place 
where spaces for solidarity and resistance were built. After studying 
the conditions of these activists' imprisonment, she shows that until 
1963, the regime imprisoned its opponents in common criminal prisons. It 
was in the 1960s that the status of political prisoner became a demand 
and ultimately a recognized status. The prison system reflects the 
ruthless nature of the dictatorship: torture, isolation... Despite these 
conditions, the prisoners manage to forge bonds and networks of 
solidarity, for example by pooling their possessions and building 
relationships that eventually become strong friendships. These 
friendships become an important form of resistance to the prison system.

Political Prisoners in Spain
Irène Gimenez
CNRS Editions 2026 EUR26 430 pp.

War: Myth and Reality

Two books of different kinds-one a militant essay, the other a 
historical synthesis-serve as reminders of the cruelty of war.

Smedley Butler was a general in the U.S. Army. Born in 1881, he led 
several expeditions between the beginning of the 20th century and the 
1930s. He reportedly refused to participate in a coup against Roosevelt 
in 1933. It was there that his awakening to the horrors of war began. He 
published his essay *War Is a Swindle*, explaining that war is waged 
primarily because industrialists profit from it. This book quickly 
became a manifesto for the American League Against War and Fascism, led 
by the American Communist Party. It was as if the man had simply traded 
one form of propaganda for another... all while acknowledging that war 
does indeed serve certain interests and that the belligerents have no 
regard for the truth.

A group of historians, in 23 chapters, explores the stakes of the First 
World War, but above all, debunks a number of falsehoods. As they note, 
truth is the first casualty of war.

But they are not writing simply to please the reader. The war is merely 
an indirect consequence of the assassination of Archduke Franz 
Ferdinand. Similarly, Jaurès alone, through his activism, could not have 
prevented the war; perhaps he would not even have wanted it and would 
have joined the Sacred Union. Contrary to popular belief, it's true that 
no one went off to war with a light heart, but very few actually opposed 
it. Thus, with supporting figures, the image of soldiers executed as 
examples takes a hit: in total, fewer than 800 soldiers in France, yet 
France far surpasses the other belligerents in these executions. On a 
purely military level, it also confirms certain aspects: the Americans 
entered the war to help France achieve victory, whereas Germany could 
not have continued the carnage for much longer... 23 invigorating 
entries, quite enjoyable to read given their provocative nature.

War is a Racket. War is a Scam
Semdley D. Butler
Konfident 2026 94p. EUR6.90

The Myths of the First World War
Michel Goya and Jean Lopez
Perrin 2026 414 p. EUR23

https://monde-libertaire.net/?articlen=8940
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