They Shall Not Pass!

[Lalwendë]

Originally Posted by The Elf-warrior

In one of his letters (#83 from October 6, 1944), Tolkien expresses support for Franco. He describes him and C.S. Lewis's meeting with one Roy Campbell,

The 'twerp' letter is a long way from 'expressing support' for Franco. I remember some blogger bringing this one up ages ago as evidence Tolkien was a 'nazi' but I'll point out now as I did then, it doesn't express his support for fascism, it's part a rant about his friend (at the time) Lewis and part gushing response to meeting the enigmatic Campbell. It's fairly characteristic of British feeling in 1944 - Franco didn't in the end get too deep with the Axis, and there was a growing fear of what Stalin might bring along with his alliance with those against the Axis.

Campbell is really interesting, and I don't blame Tolkien for being taken aback. He was rather like Marmite in that people at the time either loved him or despised him (from the distance of time, a lot of the accusations of fascism levelled against him were unfair, he was driven by faith and a wee bit bonkers). To a fellow Catholic stories of saving priests would have been inspiring, and he was a great story teller. Nobody denies that Tolkien didn't approve of Marxism and Campbell's satire was funny. I don't think it ever came to much though, the initial enthusiasm must have soured as Campbell never got in with the Inklings, despite being in dire need of a literary 'circle' to join. Maybe Tolkien found out the truth: that Campbell never did fight for anyone, he was just a journalist, and only lasted the course for a few days; he was in Toledo and not Barcelona; the priests were all killed; and he was in Spain as he was on the run from the law in France.

That's the way it reads in the context of the whole letter and absence of any more - though I am very keen not to give those who want to deride Tolkien as some kind of 'nazi' any ammunition!