Description
Annual
Book Summary
In July 1921, when alarming news of the Annual disaster reached Madrid, the deputy and journalist Eduardo Ortega y Gasset traveled to Melilla to cover the war. There, he met soldier Bernabé Nieto, the only survivor of the massacre, whose firsthand testimony anchors the first half of this work. The second part compiles chronicles of the military operations to recover the lost territory, featuring key figures such as Franco, Sanjurjo, Abd-el-Krim, and Indalecio Prieto. This book is an exceptional testimony that combines war journalism with the first-person account of one of the greatest tragedies of the Spanish army.
What is it about?
Annual is a historical and journalistic document that reconstructs one of the most tragic episodes in Spanish military history: the defeat suffered by the Spanish army at Annual (Morocco) in 1921, where thousands of soldiers died. The work is structured in two distinct parts. In the first, the author collects the account of soldier Bernabé Nieto, a survivor who narrates his experience during the massacre with raw intensity, offering a human and direct perspective of the horror experienced. In the second part, Ortega y Gasset describes the subsequent military operations to recover the lost territory, including encounters with and mentions of historical figures such as Franco, Sanjurjo, Millán Astray, Abd-el-Krim, and Indalecio Prieto. The book is an exceptional testimony that combines war chronicles with the political and social analysis of the time.
Main themes
- The Annual disaster and its military and political consequences.
- The testimony of a survivor as a direct historical source.
- The Spanish colonial war in North Africa during the 20th century.
- War reporting and journalism as a literary genre.
- Key figures in Spain's military and political history in the Spanish Protectorate in Morocco.
Who is it recommended for?
This book is aimed at readers interested in Spain's military and colonial history, especially the period of the Protectorate of Morocco and the Rif War. It is also of great value to those who appreciate war journalism, historical chronicles based on real testimonies, and survival stories. It is a work recommended for historians, enthusiasts of contemporary history, and anyone wishing to understand one of the most controversial and tragic episodes of the Spanish army.
What this book offers
- A direct and human testimony from a surviving soldier, providing a unique perspective on the Annual disaster.
- Firsthand journalistic chronicles written by an eyewitness and relevant political figure of the time.
- A detailed vision of the military operations and key figures who intervened in the Morocco War.
- An exceptional historical document that combines personal narrative with political and military analysis.
- The opportunity to learn about a fundamental episode of Spanish history from a journalistic and testimonial perspective.
Technical specifications
- Author: Ortega y Gasset, Eduardo
- Publisher: Ediciones del Viento, S.L.
- Language: Spanish
- Subject: Modern and contemporary fiction, Theory of warfare and military science, Travel literature
- Collection: VIENTO SIMUN
- Binding: Other
- Publication date: November 2008
- Number of pages: 194
- Weight: 400 g
Editorial review
Annual is a work of great historical and documentary value, offering the reader direct testimony of one of the most tragic episodes of the Spanish army. The combination of the survivor's account with the author's journalistic chronicles provides a complete and human vision of the events. It is an essential book for those who wish to understand the Morocco War and its political and social implications, as well as for those interested in war journalism and historical accounts based on real experiences.