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Spanish Civil War Why significant? National • "A brutal conflict that polarised Spain, pitting the Left against the Right, the anti-clericals against the Church, the unions against the landed classes and the Republicans against the Monarchists" (BBC website) International • A "dress rehearsal" for World War Two: • Fascism against Communism, • Aggression against Appeasement. Humanitarian • Over 500,000 people were killed in 3 years. Cultural • Picasso's Guernica, Orwell's Homage to Catalonia, Hemmigway's For Whom the Bell Tolls, Laurie Lee's A Moment of War – artists and writers saw the conflict as a battle for civilisation and culture against the forces of darkness. The causes and course of the Spanish Civil War The Nationalists and Republicans do battle in a deeply divided country Spanish imperialism fades • Spain had declined as a world power from the 16th century • Following independence of many of its South American colonies, it suffered defeat in a war with the USA and lost Cuba and the Philippines in 1898 • It was a considerable drain on resources maintaining control in remaining colonies such as Morocco • Industrialized areas, such as Bilbao and Barcelona (that had relied on overseas markets) were depressed • 70% of the population were peasants • Political unrest loomed with many different political groups Spain benefitted from the First World War, in which it was not involved. It had provided coal, minerals, ships and textiles. Industrialists had acquired this wealth but it also brought inflation. News of the Russian Revolution spread unrest throughout Spain. This led to labour unrest and strikes. The end of the war brought industrial contraction and unemployment. There were anarchist revolts. Spain’s colony in north Africa revolted causing: additional strain on economy capture of Spanish forts 15 000 deaths. There was a military coup in 1923 led by Primo de Riviera. This coup d’etat was favoured by: king army Conservatives many intellectuals who saw the need for an ‘iron surgeon’ to rule Spain. By Dec. 1925 the military dictatorship was formally abolished but de Riviera continued to rule as prime minister with a cabinet of military officers. His rule was characterized as a conservative, authoritarian, and nationalistic regime and his slogan was ‘Country, Religion, Monarchy’ Uprisings tried to end the dictatorship and by Jan. 1930 de Riviera resigned. • • Great Depression had brought junta’s ability to rule the country into question. Opposed by many groups : republicans socialists universities press parts of the army Eventually by Jan. 1930, he lost the support of the King and the army. Other support had come from the privileged classes , latifundia (large agricultural estates) landlords. He had tried to reform the system and instigate public works but these reforms would have affected the very groups who supported him. Following elections, that the Republicans won under the leadership of Alcala Zamora, King Alfonso XIII went into exile. July 1931, the Cortes (elected by voters over 23) had a majority of Republican centrists, socialists, communists, and the anarcho-sydicalist left. It was led by Manuel Lazana. In Dec. 1931, the Assembly made the following decrees: Spain became a republic Parliament would consist of one chamber Elected by universal suffrage every 4 years State and church to be separated Church power weakened (Jesuits banned/divorce) President could not be army officer or member of clergy Govt. had the power to nationalize large estates and industries However, many parts of Spain remained monarchist and in Navarre ‘Carlists’ (absolute monarchists) Spain was therefore bitterly divided between: Right-wing nationalists, such as landowners, employers, industrialists, church and army. Left-wing republicans, such as workers, trades unionists, socialists, peasants. There were three governments during the Second Republic. 1931 – 1933: Manuel Azana and the centre-left coalition. Nov. 1933 – Jan 1936: Gil Robles and CEDA (Confederation of Autonomous right parties) formed a rightist majority coalition. 1936 election won by leftist parties but Azana unable to hold the coalition together. • In Aug. 1936, the army under Franco rebelled and overthrew the Republicans because of the threat from the left and the right’s inability to govern with sufficient authority. • Civil war ensued. Spain as part of Europe • If Spain fell to the Nationalist forces, France would be surrounded on 3 sides by Fascist states. • Spain had strategic naval bases on both the Atlantic and Mediterranean to control shipping and site submarine bases. The course of the Spanish Civil War • A Selection of Maps tracing the Spanish Civil War, 1936-1939. http://www2.bc.edu/~heineman/maps/SpCW.html • This site contains five maps of Spain from the start of the Nationalist Rebellion in July 1936 through the defeat of the Republic in March 1939. • The first map shows the immediate success achieved by General Franciso Franco's invasion from Spanish Morocco, which was co-ordinated with a military uprising in the North. Franco and a group of generals launched their attack after a coalition of Socialists and Catalonian and Basque Separatists had gained control of the Spanish Republican government. Franco’s moved his forces to the mainland peninsula with the assistance of German forces (20 transport planes). The navy still supported the Republican Government. • Foreign intervention in the conflict • Democracies Britain and France were unsure about letting the nationalists win but equally worried about the Republicans leaning towards communism. Non-intervention agreement signed but quickly broken by fascist dictators and USSR. Non-intervention C’ttee (Britain & France) tried to block any form of aid from reaching Spain. Royal navy patrolled Spanish coast. • Fascist states sent troops and weapons Hitler sent Condor squadron, up to 10 000 troops and naval support Mussolini sent 60 000 troops and weapons Salazar sent 20 000 troops to help the Nationalist forces. They were fearful of communism and wanted to stop its spread. • USSR Stalin sent supplies to Republicans to keep the conflict going. Arguable, to keep German attention on Spain and not eastern Europe. Tanks and aeroplanes had design faults and were withdrawn. • International Brigade was composed of foreigners from Europe and the USA, who supported the Republicans. At any one time it had 15 000 men and women. Results: After a bitter and bloody war, the Nationalist forces under the command of Franco captured Madrid in March 1939. Hitler now had an ally in France but his non-agreement to help Franco obtain a north African empire led Franco to keep Spain neutral, although he did send troops to fight in eastern Europe. The war strengthened the bond between Italy and Germany and led to the Rome-Berlin Axis. Britain and France’s Non-intervention C’ttee was discredited because it had not stopped the combatants receiving aid. Weapons and troops had been tested in a ‘real’ war situation. Answer one of the following: • Analyse the causes of either the Spanish Civil War or the Korean War. • Examine the impact of foreign intervention on either the Chinese Civil War or the Spanish Civil War.