Overview of the Spanish Civil War
The Second Republic 1931-1936 Republican victory in 1931 Municipal elections King Alfonso XIII fled Spain. 2nd Republic is established Progressive and Liberal Constitution (1931) Autonomy of various regions Renouncement to War Universal Suffrage One-Chambered Parliament Separation of Church and State Divorce is approved Freedom of Worship Secularization of Schools
The Second Republic 1931-1936 Two years of radical social change under the left-center government (Manuel Azana) Anti-clericalism Agrarian Reform The Spanish Communist party – PCE (La Pasionaria) Two years of right-center (Gil Robles) 1933- Creation of the Falange Espanola (José Antonio Primo de Rivera) Asturias Mining Revolt (Franco)
Spanish Civil War
Except for WWII the SCW is the most written about military conflict. Lasted 2 years and 9 months 600,000 deaths 1.5 Million Injured 350,000 exiles 250,000 destroyed buildings Fields and Banks Destroyed Moral Injuries accounted for the worst: hatred and violence towards others.
Initial Plans for Revolt After the 1936 elections, there were multiple uprisings expressing the discontent of the Spanish population with the newly elected Left- Wing government. Several high Ranking Officers were involved (Mola). July 17, 1936: rebellion of the military in the Protectorate (Morocco). This spreads to the peninsula on July 18th and 19th.
The Uprising: First few days of fighting were marked by mass confusion. Multiple “paseos” (popular violence). The Nationalists (right) controlled one third of the peninsula. Republicans controlled the rest of the country: Main cities (except for Sevilla) Industrialized areas Reserves from the bank of Spain Military vehicles and aviation
The side on the right were called NATIONALISTS and the side on the left were called REPUBLICANS
Two Forces: Republicans Nationalists Centrists The Army Anarchists The Church Leftist Parties Monarchists The Separatist Regions (Basques and Catalonians) Middle and wealthier classes Anticleralists People without Political Beliefs
The Republican Government The republicans were the strongest but they lacked organization. Communist and Socialist unity (not Anarchists) Internal fights. After the ‘victory’ at Madrid (Nov 1936) the city took the appearance of a communist city. Communist party membership grew greatly by mid-1937. Towards the end of the war, the communist party took direct orders from Moscow.
International Support For the Republicans: Franco-British Arm embargo: This was an agreement drawn up by France and Britain in August of 1936. 27 countries signed it, including Italy, Germany, and the U.S.S.R, all of which did not keep their promise to stay out. The Abraham Lincoln Brigade was a company of about 2,800 American soldiers devoted to fighting with the Republic against Franco. Their motto was “Keep Madrid the tomb of Fascism”. They also fought with other countries.
Stalin supported the left side (Republicans) wither orders and military supplies in order to foster the growth of communism.
Franco asked the Germans to aid him in destroying the republic with his force of nacionales. Italy and Germany aided Franco, by supplying volunteers and aircraft PACT Adolph Hitler Francisco Franco
April 26, 1937: The German Condor Legion bombed the city of Guernica. It was an ancient capital of the Basques region. This has been seen as a practice battlefield for WW2.
Hitler sent his famous “Condor Legion Hitler sent his famous “Condor Legion.” This was a group of skilled pilots with new planes that were skilled at dive bombing..
They bombed the city of Guernica and slaughtered the inhabitants They bombed the city of Guernica and slaughtered the inhabitants. Women and children were killed….
A group of women and children A group of women and children. They were lifted high into the air, maybe 20 feet or so, and they started to break up. Legs, arms, heads, and bits and pieces flying everywhere. Such is the after math of this most heinous attack on the town. One third of the population was slaughtered by explosions and strafing machine guns, and 70 percent of the town was destroyed.
Territorial Exchange during the war Blue represents the Republic The Green represents the forces led by Franco. What started as a military uprising in Morocco, morphed into a full fledged revolt led by General Francisco Franco.
The Spanish Civil War is known as the “Dress Rehearsal” for WWII because it was time in which new weapons and technologies could be tested for use. The Spanish Civil War ended in 1939, the same year WWII started.
End of the War: By early 1939, the republicans only held the City of Madrid. On March 28, 1939: Franco’s troops entered Madrid and by April 1st he had announced that the war was over. The Rebels won the war because they united to create a more efficient, better trained and equipped military force.
What happened? Government reaction Public opinion Public opinion divided; Labour opposition split. For Intervention: If the Fascists won, then the peace in Europe would be threatened Fascists were trying to overthrow a democratically elected Government. 2700 joined International Brigade Against Intervention: It is a Spanish affair; better to stay neutral. Against spread of Communism Civil War started as a result of an army rebellion against the Popular Front Government The sides polarised between those who supported elected Govt. (Republicans) and those who supported the army rebels (Nationalists). The War lasted 3 years and the Nationalists won. Germany and Italy intervened on Nationalist side; Russia on Republican side Br. Policy was non-intervention Government wanted to minimise foreign intervention and to avoid the civil war spreading into a European war Conservative-dominated government were more sympathetic to Franco than ‘Communist’ Republicans Feared for Britain’s commercial interests if Republican side won. Aware of Ger./Italian breaches of non-intervention Took realistic view: ‘better a leaky dam than no dam at all’ (Eden)
Pablo Picasso, a Spanish painter, chose to use this bombing of the town as the theme for a very large painting.
Guernica