9 Reasons for the Nationalist Victory Flashcards
How did the support of the Soviet Union compare to Italy and Germany?
Soviet Union: expensive, mostly humanitarian aid
Italy and Germany: military and financial support
How did Franco arrange for support to be paid for?
loans with long repayment plans
How was Franco seen?
shrewd politician: did not alienate any conservatives by no explicit comments
good reputation: elite Army of Africa and international connections
What did Franco do as the war went on?
after series of victories in 1937 he refused to compromise or negotiate with the Republicans
What were the strengths of the Nationalists?
Franco = strong leader
professional soldiers
access to money, weapons and foreign aid
What did POUM believe in?
‘worldwide revolution’ not in line with Soviet communism which influence the government
disenchanted with government policies: greater revolutionary activity from workers
Who was Prime Minister?
Negrin from May 1937
more moderate than previous Caballero
opposed to communist plan in Brunete
felt extremists had too much independence eg. Barcelona
had lots of communist support
When was POUM outlawed?
June 1937
Who was Nin and what happened to him?
POUM’s leader
murdered 21 June 1937 by Soviet agents
- instructed to by Moscow to support the Negrin administration
Who favoured what sort of fighting amongst the Republicans?
Soviets: called for disciplined army
anarchists and POUM: favoured militias
What in-fighting happened amongst the Republicans in May 1937?
Barcelona Telephone Exchange:
communists and the government (won)
versus
anarchist CNT and Trotskyite POUM (leaders executed)
What in-fighting happened amongst the Republicans in August 1937?
Popular Army crushed Peasants’ Council in Aragon (anarchists)
What did George Orwell believe about the in-fighting?
the repression of workers’ groups was a factor in the Republican defeat
as workers wanted to fight fir revolution NOT a repressive government
What in-fighting happened amongst the Republicans in March 1939?
General Casado launched attempted coup against Negrin
Casado dismissed from military position but coup continued - arrested various communists within Negrin’s administration
What mistake did the Republicans make when fighting?
should have draw Nationalists into street fighting and guerrilla warfare which would have played to their strengths
