Red October in Asturias

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The 1934 miners’ strike in Asturias (Spain), also known as the October Revolution, can be interpreted as a general rehearsal for the Spanish Civil War. The progressive radicalization of the unions and the hesitance of the Spanish Socialist Party to embrace their demands displayed the numerous fractures dividing the Spanish left. The Spanish II Republic was increasingly at risk of losing the support of the working class. Simultaneously, the military and the Spanish right had become emboldened by what they saw as an opportunity to control the labor movement and rein in the left.

Jose Diaz Fernandez’s ‘Red October in Asturias’ is a nuanced chronicle of the events: a call to arms as much as a call to reflect. Published under the alias Jose Canel, Diaz Fernandez’s account portrays in the many faces of the Asturian revolution the tragic escalation of violence orchestrated among others by the colonial troops led by General Franco.

This annotated translation makes available to English readers one of the most celebrated accounts of the October Revolution. Carefully translated to retain the sound of the miners’ voices masterfully captured by Diaz Fernandez, the translation provides detailed footnotes to guide the reader through the intricacies of 1934 Spanish politics.