Spanish Civil War Flashcards
What is the historical context behind the Spanish civil war?
- Frequent revolts and civil wars between reformers and conservatives
- Lead up had a monarchy under Alfonso XIII and a military dictatorship under Miguel Primo de Rivera
- Liberals wished to replace monarchy with liberal democratic order
- Carlists fought to maintain the traditions of monarchy and Catholicism
- Growing strength of socialism, anarchism and separatism
What was Spain like before 1931?
- Overwhelmingly agricultural with aristocratic landowners dominating the rural areas
- Church dominated schooling
- Vast differences in wealth and education between cities and country side, regions and social classes
- Rapid industrialisation after 1910 led to emergence of working class
- growing independence movements in Catalonia and the Basque Country
What was the reform program of 1931?
- King Fled and Second Spanish Republic was proclaimed
- President Niceto Alcala Zamora
- he wanted to expand the power of the Cortes (state governments) as well as for the separation of state and church. He also wanted universal suffrage and a secular school system.
- The government was unable to stop job violence against church property and landowners
- Conservatives denounced the government for anti clericalism, ineffectiveness and undemocratic practices
What happened in the 1933 election?
CEDA, a right wing party, won the plurality of votes, endorsing Alejandro Lerroux as prime minister. Radicals (liberal or anarchists) increasingly turned to violent methods, using direct action methods like general strikes, street conflicts, assassination and attacks on religious buildings.
-Conservatives began to form paramilitary and vigilante groups in order to exterminate all rebellions. However, this led to a dwindle in support from population
What happened in the 1936 election?
Loose coalition of left wing parties called the popular front won a narrow victory over CEDA. The socialist party was not involved in this coalition. Right wing supporters were outraged and gave up on parliament
What was the spark of the civil war?
Jose Calvin Soleto was a leading monarchist and conservative in the Cortes. He protested rising anti religious terror, property seizures and hasty agricultural redistribution. However, in Jul y 1936, Jose del Castillo, a military officer with socialist ties, was murdered. This led to leftist militiamen went to Soletos house for a revenge mission to arrest him and kill him with gunshots. This absolutely enraged the right wing.
What was the Spanish coup of July 1936?
Due to troubles in the second Spanish republic, a group of officers attempted to overthrow the left wing government in a military coup. The coup failed to take complete control and civil war ensued. Rebel control in Spanish Morocco happened swiftly with the army of Africa becoming the strongest of the Spanish army. This army was led by Franco, who would later become dictator. A majority of the army were against the republic as the republic had intentions to ban Islam. Then, rebels opened weapon caches to allow other revels to fight.
Why did the coup fail?
The coup was obviously start of the civil war. Seville was taken as it was the landing point for Franco’s African troops. Other cities like Leon and Old Castille fell quickly but the nationalist forces failed to take control throughout most of Spain. However, republican leaders were paralysed with disagreement which led to workers and anarchists raising government armoires to suppress the nationalist forces. Within weeks, nationalist forces took control of western and northern Spain with republicans only retaining eastern and central Spain.
Why did Nationalists start the war?
They wanted to rid of the Christian, communist civilisation that Spain was becoming. They opposed regional separatism and were staunchly catholic. Wanted a Leviathan system with a strong central power with harsh punishments. Wanted to prevent the erosion of Catholicism.
Made up of Carlists (royalists), falange (fascist), nationalists, military and CEDA
Leaders included Francisco Franco and Emilio Mola
Who were the republicans?
Wanted to rid of tyranny. Centrists wanted to preserve capitalist democracy whilst communists wanted to establish a Soviet style republic. Republicans had a wide range of goals and ideologies that didn’t unify, tended to be supported by the poor and the educated middle class. Made up of Spcialists, liberals, communists, trade unions and Catalan and basque independence movements.
What was the foreign involvement?
League of Nations imposed an arms embargo to try and limit the fighting, even though Britain and France sympathised the republicans they did not help as they feared direct conflict with the other fascist powers. The embargo was extremely useless though.
How did Germany get involved?
- Franco wanted Hitler and Mussolini to help with Germany providing aircrafts, troops and tanks. Hitler helped to win an ally against Britain and France as well as accessing Spanish raw materials to help his empire.
- Mussolini also provided troops, aircrafts and tanks as well as the Italian navy stopping shipments of arms to republicans. Mussolini wanted fascist solidarity and concessions from Spain
- Soviet Union helped the republicans with equipment but no troops, the arms tended to be ineffective and had to be bought with republican gold preserves. Stalin tried to strengthen the communist side of the republicans but also preoccupy Germany. Didn’t overly care of spains future.
1936 of the civil war?
Nationalists had control of northern and southern Spain. Franco consolidated his control over nationalist forces and forced factions to unify. However, nationalist attack on Madrid was repulsed due to the arrival of an international brigade. Valencia became the new capital.
1937 of the civil war?
Italian and German equipment arrived in huge amounts. Republican counter offensive strategy in Madrid worked and killed nationalist leader Mola. However, nationalists now consolidated control over northern Spain, Barcelona became the new capital.
1938 of the civil war?
Nationalists conquered most of northern Spain and isolated Catalonia from the south. Major republican counter offensive failed with the Munich Agreement destroying hope of western support as England and France were shown to fear Hitler. Republic moved the capital back to Valencia.
