

a big part of it was people seeing first hand the Soviet’s sabotaging the CNT-FAI’s efforts, which I imagine was part of what turned Orwell against communists later in his life.
I still contend that if the Soviet’s supported the Syndicalists as much as the Nazis supported the Nationalists, CNT-FAI would have won the war.



If you’re interested, I’d recommend reading through the works of José Peirats, especially The CNT in the Spanish Revolution: Volume 3 which details the numerous different ways that the Soviets suppressed and terrorized the syndicalists, going as far as imprisoning and torturing anarchists and anti-fascists.