Alongside the Spanish army in the campaign against Napoleon (1808-1814) was an assortment of freebooters; local peasants; and bandits who were organized into ad hoc regional private armies. These “guerrillasâ€Â—a term introduced to the English language during the Peninsular War—ambushed French convoys; attacked French encampments; and pounced upon; dodged; and fought French columns; often with extreme brutality. This book investigates for the first time the irregular Spanish forces and their role in resisting Napoleon.Delving deeply into previously untapped archival resources; Charles Esdaile arrives at an entirely new view of the Spanish guerrillas. He shows that the Spanish war against Napoleon was something other than the great popular crusade of legend; that many guerrillas were not armed civilians acting spontaneously; and that guerrillas were more often driven by personal motives than high-minded ideology. Tracking down the bandit armies and assessing their contributions; Esdaile offers important insights into the famous “little war†and the motives of those who fought it.
#506384 in Books 2000-08-11Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 7.50 x 4.75 x 1.25l; .89 #File Name: 0300084625504 pages
Review
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. after a good start; the repetition of details in later chapters ...By Gregory D. WalkerAn important story to permit the re-examination of a controversial period of our recent history. However; after a good start; the repetition of details in later chapters gets tiresome.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Not a bad readBy Samuel AndersonI enjoyed reading how we were able to catch and understand what happened here. You will want to know and understand the intelligence community to read this book.3 of 3 people found the following review helpful. Two Historians who Have Made a Huge Contribution to TruthBy Bernard Chapin[[VIDEOID:mo5IJOGI1CLZ11]]Venona is an excellent book by two elite historians. I own Spies and In Denial as well. Personally; I would buy the hardcover version of this book rather than the paperback version.
