Effects of the Spanish Civil War

ECONOMIC EFFECTS Spanish infrastructure virtually destroyed Industrial production in 1939 was only 25% of 1929 levels Half of the railway was operational Livestock numbers were one-third less than pre- war figures Economy still mostly agricultural Suffered high inflation, low wages, lack of workers Even by 1951, wages were only 60% of the 1936 levels

ECONOMIC EFFECTS Spanish gold was sent to the USSR by the Republican government to pay for arms Nationalists ended the war with $700 million in debt Repayment of debts to Germany and Italy were made in food shipments and industrial raw materials (which made a bad economy worse) Payments to Italy lasted into the 1960s

Social Impact Death toll reports vary between 350,000 and 500,000 Several hundred thousand permanently wounded Approximately 400,000 fled Spain after the war; about 250,000 never returned Nationalists wounded given preferential treatment for jobs No pensions for Republican soldiers

Social Impact - Women Experience of women in the war depended on where they were Women in Nationalist Spain were expected to conform to traditional roles as housewives and mothers Paid work for women was discouraged

Social Impact - Women Nationalist view of women was very conservative Divorce and civil marriage were prohibited No mixed-gender classrooms Education of girls focused on domestic work and motherhood

Social Impact - Women Women in Republican Spain had more freedom Women had equal rights in marriage and divorce Republican Spain was the first country in Europe to have a woman cabinet member Republican women fought in militias and worked in factories These rights were lost when Franco came to power

Political Impact Franco emerges as dictator and is in power to 1975 Creates right-wing conservative dictatorship Has control of the army –Persecutes and executes Republicans during the White Terror –Anti-Communism is justified –1939 Law of Political Responsibility Permits seizure of property of all Republican supporters

Franco’s Spain Chief of state Appoints all ministers Largely non-ideological Runs state like the Army Monarchists, falangists, Conservative Catholics, Army, Business, technocrats civil service support him Totalitarian? Fascist?

Political Impact Restores power to wealthy and privileged Wages cut and unions destroyed All Church reforms repealed –Church/State linked, preach order –Nationalism of minorities ended –No political opponents tolerated, Monarchy restored but Franco rules

Political Impact on Europe Most major powers limited their involvement in the Spanish Civil War After the Spanish Civil War, most major countries more concerned with Germany Spain was the outcast of Europe This trend continued through WWII and only changed during the Cold War

Political Impact on Europe USSR –Communists lose some credibility due to defeat –Soviets move away from Allies and consider deal with Nazi’s to protect USSR (appeasement is last straw) –Munich Agreement is final evidence that West can’t or won’t contain Hitler

Political Impact on Europe Germany –Military lessons learned about air-power –Self-sealing fuel tanks and radios in tanks are lessons learned –Blitzkrieg lessons are minimal –Italy and Germany become closer politically and sign Rome-Berlin Axis Treaty –Germany portrays itself as defender against Communism

Political Impact on Europe Britain and France –Believe next war may destroy western civilization –Strengthens attitude of appeasement –Fear spread of communism (let Communists and Fascists destroy each other) –Hitler sees Allies as weak

Political Impact on Europe US –US neutral and gives little aid except private loans –Hardens US isolation? –No Marshall Plan aid to Spain post-WWII –1950 Cold War and anti-Communist attitude of Spain leads to US aid Spain to gain military bases

Was the SCW a Cause of WWII? Pro: –Hitler more aggressive due to “weakness” of the Allies –Hitler more popular at home and abroad as a strong leader and anti-communist –Learned military lessons that Germany will use later –Britain & France distracted and US more isolationist –USSR moves towards “deal” with Hitler

Was the SCW a Cause of WWII? Con: –Germany a dynamic force since 1870 –WWI damages German military power, but leaves economic power largely intact –Hitler is not unique, any German leader would try to end Versailles, recover territory and rearm –WWII is not an ideological war, it is a traditional balance of power conflict between nationalist states –Hitler and Mussolini have no “blueprint” for conquest

Was the SCW a Cause of WWII? Con: –Hitler “pushes on the door and the house falls in” –Hitler takes advantage of allied blunders, US isolationism and Stalin’s quest for security –French and British appeasement is logical, rational foreign policy that protects national interests –WWII is inevitable outcome to WWI –Hitler is reacting to other state’s actions in 1939, no plan