The Spanish Civil War: Factions, Fault Lines, and Civil War

Question 1

Define civil war

Answer 1

a war between rival factions within a country

Question 2

Who made up the political right in Spain?

Answer 2

The traditional triad of landowners, church, and army

Question 3

Where did anarcho-syndicalism develop in Spain?

Answer 3

Barcelona

Question 4

Define anarcho-syndicalism

Answer 4

a political doctrine that advocates replacing central government with decentralized worker control based on a trade union model. • Also advocated shorter working weeks, higher wages and better working conditions

Question 5

Who was Manuel Azaña?

Answer 5

o In 1931, Manuel Azaña became prime minister with a centre-left ideology
 Introduced sweeping agricultural, labor, and anti-clerical legislation
 Separated church and state
 Extreme left and right parties didn’t like while left and center did

Question 6

Define comintern or Communist International

Answer 6

an organization (originated in Bolshevik Russia) whose mission was to coordinate and promote the spread of revolutionary Marxist-Leninism

Question 7

Define Popular Front

Answer 7

a political strategy of electoral cooperation of left-wing parties designed to prevent vote-splitting and thus defeat right-wing parties

Question 8

Who was Francisco Franco?

Answer 8

• Francisco Franco was one of these generals and his conservative views made him an enemy of the Popular Front
o He led the General’s Uprising (as the leader of the Nationalists forces) which started the war
o Became dictator after victory

Question 9

Who were the rebels in the Spanish Civil War?

Answer 9

were these members of the army and their supporters, who attempted to overthrow the elected government in 1936

Question 10

Who were the loyalists in the Spanish Civil War?

Answer 10

were those who supported the elected government of Spain against the rebels during the Spanish Civil War

Question 11

Who were the republicans in the Spanish Civil War?

Answer 11

 Comprised of the military that remained loyal to the government, as well as various militias associated with the working-class organizations

Question 12

Who were the Nationalists in the Spanish Civil War?

Answer 12

 Comprised of military units that rebelled, augmented by volunteers from right-wing organizations
 Supported by Catholic Church

Question 13

How did the US and UK help during the Spanish Civil War?

Answer 13

 US and UK had non-intervention policies, but unofficially hoped Nationalists would win due to fear of communism spreading
 However some smuggled in to fight alongside Nationalists as members of the brigade

Question 14

How did Germany help during the Spanish Civil War?

Answer 14

 Germans (Hitler) provided Nationalists mainly with air support (an advantage) to help stop communism spread even though it could’ve helped Germany

Question 15

How did Italy help during the Spanish Civil War?

Answer 15

 Mussolini reached agreement with Franco that he would aid Nationalist army if they would send support in case of a Italian war with France

Question 16

How did the Soviet Union help during the Spanish Civil War?

Answer 16

 Stalin supported and aided the Republican forces to help spread world socialism despite a distrust of the socialist and anarchist elements in Spain

Question 17

Define Neutrality Acts

Answer 17

• The Neutrality Acts were a number of laws passed by the US Congress which sought to establish the US as a formally neutral country
o 1935- prevented from trading war materials with warring parties
o 1937 and 1939- include credit and loans to warring parties

Question 18

What were the patterns of violent retribution in the Spanish Civil War?

Answer 18

 Republican target Falange members and Catholic clergy
 Nationalists sought out anarchists, communists and trade union members
o Republican mainly defensive, Nationalists offensive
o Nationalists committed civilian atrocities to create terror and break their will to resist

Question 19

Who was Dolores Ibárruri (“La Pasionaria)?

Answer 19

 A communist leader and member of the Spanish Communist Party (PCE)
 Elected member of Spanish Parliament
 Championed better working and living conditions for Spain’s working class

Question 20

Why did the Republicans lose?

Answer 20

Lack of effective central command and control, political infighting, and insufficient arms and material

Question 21

What was the war to the intelligents of the West?

Answer 21

o To the intelligents of the West, the war was a struggle between the forces of repression on the one side and freedom on the other

Question 22

What was the war to the working class of the world?

Answer 22

o To the working class of the world, it was about landed/industrial interests versus workers and unions

Question 23

Who was Buenaventura Durruti?

Answer 23

 Anarchist leader who led a number of uprisings and strikes before the war
 Urged cooperation amongst left-wing organizations

Question 24

Who was Francisco Largo Caballero?

Answer 24

 Leader of both the Spanish Socialist Party (PSOE) and the Unión General de Trabajadores (UGT)
 Became prime minister of the Republic in 1936 and brought together a left-wing coalition
 Took steps to centralize both military and social control

Question 25

Who was Juan Negrín?

Answer 25

 Spanish socialist who became prime minister in 1937

 Favored communists in his government