Juan Modesto
Juan Modesto. Born Juan Guilloto León, he was a worker who became a corporal in the Spanish Army. A communist, when the war broke out he became an officer and participated in most of the big battles. While no great strategist, he was brave and he fought. The Republic had few leaders of ability, primarily due to their habit of executing anyone who did not toe the Communist Party (Russian) line and Modesto was the best, plus he looked good in photos. The Republic was addicted to announcing victories that had not occurred, and then sending soldiers to their deaths trying to achieve real victory. It was a formula for defeat and the Russians knew it, Stalin wanted the Republic to lose so as not to jeopardize foreign investment. For political reasons he had to send help to Spain, the only other country to do so was Mexico. The United States had a strong Catholic lobby and well publicized (and true) accounts of murders of priests and nuns kept America neutral, despite popular sympathy for the Republic. Both Germany and Italy sent substantial amounts of troops and materiel to aid Franco. During WWII Franco pleaded poverty in order to keep out of the war, Hitler said he rather have 4 teeth drawn than talk with the cunning Spanish dictator again. The Republic won only a single battle, The Battle of Guadalajara.
This is a staged photo, both the photographer and Modesto would be outstanding sniper bait here. After the war he went to Russia and retained his general's rank in the Red Army, fought at Stalingrad. The Spanish Communists sent death squads to Russia to kill splinter party members, Modesto barely escaped execution although he never knew it. I cannot recommend enough Orwell's Homage to Catalonia, in that he lays bare the folly of the Republic and predicts the coming world war. Modesto died in Prague in 1969.
Republican soldier Federico Borrell Garcia, at the moment of death. Robert Capa.
This photo has been denounced as a fake, Capa seems to have gotten the date wrong and the location is not where his notes indicated it was. But - this man is dead. Capt. Robert Franks of the Memphis Homicide division pointed this out, and investigator Richard Whelan brought this to light. No one faking a fall would have their hand in that position. The location has been identified and it was a war zone. I think this the best example of combat photography ever. Capa died after stepping on a land mine in Indochina.
Robert Cape died on that treeline directly ahead. This is his last photograph, minutes before he was killed.
May 25, 1954.
War brought home by black and white and red all over.
Robert Capa lied about his famous D-Day photos, he may have lied about who took the 'falling soldier' picture. It seems to have been taken by Gerda Taro, a strong case can be made for her. Here is an excellent article on Capa's D-Day photos:
No matter how famous a person is, grabbing credit from dead people and blaming others in order to cover up one's own shortcomings is despicable.
Gerda Taro, 1 August 1910 – 26 July 1937.
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