By the spring of 1936 it was becoming increasingly evident that Spain was heading for an armed clash between the forces of the extreme Left, led by 'Largo Caballero' – who, backed by the ultras and their militia groups intended to impose a Stalin-type Communist government – and the extreme Right: a clique of high-ranking army officers led by veteran General Sanjurjo, who planned a similar coup and counted on the support of anti-Communist, Catholic and traditionalist elements of all classes of society. Patrick Turnbull's authoritative text tells the remarkable story of the Spanish Civil War 1936-39, from its beginnings to its dramatic conclusion.