Jack Posobiec and Tania Tancredi take you on a trip to the Valley of the Fallen, a monument dedicated to the fallen of both sides of the Spanish Civil War, to remember the heroes and heroes of the fallen.
00:02:08.480Well, today we're going to take you on a bit of a trip, a trip that we were able to just take,
00:02:13.800and we want to be able to explain it to you.
00:02:16.740In the heart of Spain, nestled among the rugged peaks of the Guadarrama Mountains,
00:02:23.400about one mile, one hour north of Madrid, lies a place of solemn beauty and haunting history.
00:02:30.420It's called the Valley of the Fallen, a monument shrouded in controversy, yet steeped in reverence.
00:02:37.120As we embark on this journey of remembrance and reflection, we delve into the depths of its past to uncover the layers of meeting it holds for Spain and for us today.
00:02:48.700Commissioned by General Francisco Franco in the aftermath of the Spanish Civil War,
00:02:54.860the Valley of the Fallen stands as a testament to the conflicting narratives of a nation torn asunder by ideology and strife,
00:03:02.660built to honor the fallen of both sides.
00:03:05.820It serves as a physical embodiment of Spain's quest for reconciliation and healing.
00:03:12.540Yet beneath that grandeur lies the darker truths.
00:03:17.800History marred by politics, by the suffering of the war, of the Civil War in Spain, 1936 to 1939,
00:03:26.920the struggle against communism, the struggle of Catholicism and Christianity against atheism.
00:03:36.900The Valley of the Fallen bears witness not only to the sacrifices of war,
00:03:42.700but also to the wounds that linger long after the guns have fallen silent.
00:03:49.520Yet amidst these shadows of the past, there's also light,
00:03:52.740a glimmer of hope that through remembrance, through dialogue, through a true understanding of history,
00:03:59.820we can transcend the divisions that once tore us apart.
00:04:03.840And so we are going to take you on a journey deeper into the heart of the Valley of the Fallen,
00:04:10.000and we invite you to join us on this voyage of discovery, reflection, healing.
00:04:16.200This is not merely a story about Spain.
00:04:19.520It's a universal tale of the human spirit, resilience, redemption, the enduring power of memory and legacy.
00:04:29.560What you're told about the Spanish Civil War is only half of the story.
00:04:37.180And half stories and half truths are mistruths.
00:04:42.300The Spanish Civil War was not a story about tyranny attempting to overthrow a country.
00:04:48.420It was a story about patriots, about nationalists, and about believers in Christ Jesus
00:04:56.800who rose up to stop the communist atrocities that were going on in their country