La plupart des dirigeants les plus chevronnés du Komintern servaient à recruter des volontaires pour les brigades internationales, dont Joseph Broz, qui est devenu le maréchal Tito de Yougoslavie, et Enrico Togliatti, de l'Italie, qui est devenu par la suite chef du parti communiste italien.
Most of the ablest leaders in the Comintern were employed in raising volunteers for the international brigades, for example, Joseph Broz who became Marshal Tito of Yugoslavia, and Enrico Togliatti from Italy who later became leader of the Italian communist party.