 Urban workers, most landless peasants, much of the educated middle class, all the left-wing political groups and socialist and anarchist Trade Unions  They were particularly strong in industrial regions such as Asturias and Cataluña.

 The majority of Catholic clergy and practicing Catholics (outside of the Basque region), most of the large landowners, many businessmen, carlists, monarchists, centralists (those opposed to regional autonomies) and fascists  They kept the best trained part of the Army, that is, the Army of Morocco, and many important officials.

 Portugal, Germany and Italy helped the Nationalists.  The democratic countries decided not to get involved (Non Intervention)

 The Soviet Union and Mexico helped the Republicans  The International Brigades and American Volunteers went to Spain to protect the Popular Front government. They were always led by Communists.

 On 19 th July, 1936, General Francisco Franco assumed command of the Nationalist forces.  In 1936, October, Franco was named Generalísimo de los Ejércitos and Head of the State of the National area.

 The main aim of the rebels was to occupy Madrid. But the defence of the city was fierce; some Anarchist Brigades from Cataluña and the first volunteers of the International Brigades took part in it. The Republican government was forced to shift from Madrid to Valencia, out of the combat zone.

 Having failed to take the capital, Franco bombarded it from the air.

 After the failed attempt to conquer Madrid, Franco decided to finish the Republican North defence.  In April the German Condor Legion bombed the town of Guernika in the Basque Country, causing hundreds of casualties.

 In the anarchist- controlled areas, Aragon and Catalonia, workers and peasants collectivized land and industry, and set up councils parallel to the Republican government. This revolution was opposed by both the Soviet- supported communists, and Social Democratic Republicans.

 As the war progressed, Anarchists and the POUM (Partido Obrero de Unificación Marxista) were integrated with the regular army, but in May 1937 anarchists and communists engaged each other in violent street battles in the city of Barcelona.

At the end of March, 1939, the Nationalists entered Madrid. The war was finished.

 Evacuation of children to Mexico, Britain, Belgium, the Soviet Union and other European countries. Many of those in the Soviet Union, from Communist families, remained there and experienced the Second World War

 Atrocities were committed on both sides during the war. The terror was used against civilians. In the case of the Nationalist side, these atrocities were ordered by fascist authorities in order to eradicate any trace of leftism in Spain.The most famous victim was the poet and dramatist Federico García Lorca.

 Atrocities on the Republican side were committed by groups of radical leftists (not by the government) against the rebel supporters, including the nobility, former landowners, rich farmers, industrialists and the Church

 After the end of the War, there were brutal reprisals against Franco's leftist former enemies. Thousands of Republicans were imprisoned and executed. Many other Republicans fled abroad, especially to France and Mexico.