Editing Miguel de Unamuno (section)

=== The Portillo/Thomas version ===
According to the British historian [[Hugh Thomas (writer)|Hugh Thomas]] in his ''[[Masterpiece|magnum opus]]'' ''[[The Spanish Civil War (book)|The Spanish Civil War]]'' (1961), the evening began with an impassioned speech by the [[Falangism|Falangist]] writer [[José María Pemán]]. After this, Professor Francisco Maldonado decried [[Catalonia]] and the [[Basque Country (greater region)|Basque Country]] as "cancers on the body of the nation," adding that "[[Fascism]], the healer of Spain, will know how to exterminate them, cutting into the live flesh, like a determined surgeon free from false sentimentalism."

From somewhere in the auditorium, someone cried out the [[Spanish Legion]]'s motto "''¡Viva la Muerte!''" [Long live death!]. As was his habit, Millán Astray, the founder and first commander of the Spanish Legion, responded with "''¡España!''" [Spain!]; the crowd replied with "''¡Una!''" [One!]. He repeated "''¡España!''"; the crowd then replied "''¡Grande!''" [Great!]. A third time, Millán Astray shouted "''¡España!''"; the crowd responded "''Libre!''" [Free!] This—Spain, one, great, and free—was a common Falangist cheer and would become a francoist motto thereafter. Later, a group of uniformed Falangists entered, [[Roman salute|saluting]] the portrait of Franco that hung on the wall.

Unamuno, who was presiding over the meeting, rose up slowly and addressed the crowd:
{{Blockquote|You are waiting for my words. You know me well, and know I cannot remain silent for long. Sometimes, to remain silent is to lie, since silence can be interpreted as assent. I want to comment on the so-called speech of Professor Maldonado, who is with us here. I will ignore the personal offence to the Basques and Catalans. I myself, as you know, was born in [[Bilbao]]. The Bishop,}}
Unamuno gestured to the Archbishop of Salamanca,
{{Blockquote|whether you like it or not, is Catalan, born in [[Barcelona]]. But now I have heard this insensitive and [[necrophilia|necrophilous]] oath, "''¡Viva la Muerte!''", and I, having spent my life writing [[paradox]]es that have provoked the ire of those who do not understand what I have written, and being an expert in this matter, find this ridiculous paradox repellent. General Millán Astray is a cripple. There is no need for us to say this with whispered tones. He is a war cripple. So was [[Miguel de Cervantes|Cervantes]]. But unfortunately, Spain today has too many cripples. And, if God does not help us, soon it will have very many more. It torments me to think that General Millán Astray could dictate the norms of the psychology of the masses. A cripple, who lacks the spiritual greatness of Cervantes, hopes to find relief by adding to the number of cripples around him.}}

Millán Astray responded: "Death to intelligence! Long live death!" provoking applause from the Falangists. Pemán, in an effort to calm the crowd, exclaimed "No! Long live intelligence! Death to the bad intellectuals!"

Unamuno continued: "This is the temple of intelligence, and I am its high priest. You are profaning its sacred domain. You will win ''[venceréis]'', because you have enough brute force. But you will not convince ''[pero no convenceréis]''. In order to convince it is necessary to persuade, and to persuade you will need something that you lack: reason and right in the struggle. I see it is useless to ask you to think of Spain. I have spoken." Millán Astray, controlling himself, shouted "Take the lady's arm!" Unamuno took Carmen Polo by the arm and left under her protection.