This edited collection examines the violence experienced by non-combatants during the civil wars which took place in Europe in the first half of the twentieth century. The determinants of violence in civil wars are highly complex and variable. By focusing on both the victims and perpetrators of violence in eight European countries, including Russia, Ireland, France and Spain, the book explores what happened when differing groups within a polity clashed, and in which ways internal conflicts manifested themselves and permeated societies. Divided into two parts, the chapters firstly identify and analyse how rearguard violence was produced and exercised during the European civil wars, and secondly, they examine the violence perpetrated by, and against, women. Shedding light on the violence that was inflicted upon European civilians in the early- to mid-twentieth century, this book presents insights for historians of Europe, political scientists, and international relations scholars alike.

Examines civilian violence across nine European countries in the first half of the twentieth century Demonstrates how internal conflicts arose and developed within polities Sheds light on the violence inflicted upon, and by, women during the European civil wars

Autorentext

Francisco J. Leira-Castiñeira is Ramon y Cajal Fellow at the Institute for Policy and Governance of the Carlos III University of Madrid, Spain.

John Sakkas is Professor of Modern History at the University of the Aegean, Greece.

Klappentext

"An ambitious account of the nature of violence in civil wars, paying attention to regional variation and gender a 'must read' for anyone interested in how ordinary people negotiate violence."

Joanna Bourke , Professor Emerita of History, Birkbeck, University of London, UK

"This book of essays is about the multiple ways international war bled into civil war in the period 1914-50. Both forms of armed conflict bred a pathological condition with us still. The targeting of civilians became not just collateral damage, but a tool to destroy or cow a people into submission. A tract for the times, with disturbing echoes of today's violent world."

Jay Winter , Charles J. Stille Professor of History Emeritus, Yale University, USA

This book examines the violence experienced by noncombatants during the civil wars in a number of countries, such as Russia, Finland, Ireland, Spain, France, Italy, Greece and Yugoslavia in the first half of the 20th century. By studying both the victims and perpetrators of violence, it aims at exploring what happens when differing groups within a polity comes to blows and in which ways internal conflicts manifest themselves and permeate societies. The determinants of violence in civil wars are highly complex with a large variation in levels, types, and practices. Identifying and analysing the ways violence is produced and exercised in the rear guard is fundamental to understanding the European civil wars as a whole. In the first part, the authors of the volume seek to unravel the complexities and patters of rearguard violence, while in the second part they focus on the violence perpetrated on and by women in civil wars.

Francisco J. Leira-Castiñeira is Ramon y Cajal fellow at Instituto de Política y Gobernanza of Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, Spain.

John Sakkas is Professor of Modern History in the University of the Aegean, Greece.

Inhalt

1. Introduction: Patterns of Violence Behind the Lines in Europe's Civil Wars.- Part I. Logics of Rearguard Violence.- 2. Introduction - The Other Twenty Years' Crisis: Europe's Civil Wars.- 3. Civil War in Russia: Violence and People.- 4. The Finnish Civil War: The Road to Political Violence, 1918.- 5. The Irish Civil War in Comparative Perspective.- 6. Logics of Repressive Violence behind the Lines in the Spanish Civil War (and its Aftermath).- 7. Collaborators vs. Resistance Fighters: The Spiral of Violence in France during the Occupation,1940-1944.- 8. The Move from Words to Deeds: The Logic of Violence against Inner Enemies and Civilians in the Italian Civil War, 1943-1945.- 9. Violence in the Greek Civil War, 1943-1949.- 10. The Courses, Causes, and Consequences of Chetnik Violence: Yugoslavia, 1941-1945.- Part II. Women in War. Victims, Militias and Perpetrators.- 11. Introduction - Women in Wars.- 12. Gender, Violence, and the Russian Civil War in Contemporary Russian Memory.- 13. A Woman as an Enemy: The Finnish Civil War, Gender Roles, and Violence.- 14. Violence and Indiscipline? The Treatment of Militant Anti-Treaty Women by the National Army during the Irish Civil War, 1922-1923.- 15. The Enemy's Women or Women Enemies? Violence against Women during the Spanish Civil War.- 16. Civil War as Fratricidal Conflict? Re-examining the Case of Violence against Women in Liberation France.- 17. Women and Violence: Victims and Perpetrators during the Italian Civil War, 1943-1945.- 18. Women at the Symplegades of the Greek Civil War.- 19. Partisans vs. Chetniks: Gender Policies, Combat and Violence in Yugoslavia, 19411945.