Spanish+Civil+War+packet+notes

Notes from //Years of change European History 1890-1990: The Spanish Civil War 1936-9//, by Robert Wolfson and John Laver.

A. **Background: Spain 1923-31** -although Spain remained neutral during WWI, it still faced post-war problems -King Alfonso XIII faced left-wing opposition -Movement for home rule in Catalonia (main industrial area of country) -Spain is poor and divided between industrial northeast and the rest of the agricultural country -General Primo de Rivera seized power in 1923=dictator -Constitution was made in Dec. 1931 which transformed Spain from a monarchy to a republic. B. **Republican Spain** -Republic faced opposition from both left and right. -Catalonia demanded autonomy in 1931 -A series of coalition governments were formed -During the cortes election of 1936 there were two clear sides: 1. Republicans, Socialists, Syndicalists, Communists = "popular front" 2. Conservatives, Monarchists, parties of the right. They want restoration of the church -July 17 the rebels led an army revolt but they had no clear program beyond the overthrow of the Popular Front Government. -The Army had been hard hit by the reforms of the Republican government. -Those loyal to the government =Republicans, supporters of the rebels =Nationalists. - To the nationalists, the Republican regime had been too influenced by the communists, had destroyed the economy, had failed to keep order and had led an attack on the traditional pillars of Spanish society, the monarchy the Church and the army. D. The course of the War 1936 July- Army revolted in several regions August- Nationalists capture Badejoz and advance on Tagus valley September- Popular front forms in Madrid October- Franco is appointed as 'Head of Spanish State' by nationalists. November- Germany and Italy recognize Franco's gov't despite joining the policy of non-intervention 1937 April- bombing of Guernica May- Juan Negrin of the Socialist Party becomes Prime minister October- Nationalists take Gijon=bring Northwest under Franco's control. Republicans move from Valencia to Barcelona February- Nationalists split Republican areas in Catalonia from those in Castile December- Nationalists attack Catalonia forcing Republicans back towards Barcelona 1938 January- Nationalists capture Barcelona and take all of Catalonia forcing 200,000 republicans into France February- Britain and France recognize Franco's government. ****E. The Nature of the War and the reasons for Franco's victory** -Church suffered appalling losses -Bombing of Guernica- most notable single incident ** -Both sides used horrific propaganda that depicted wounded and dead children for foreign consumption -approximately 500,000 people died during the war -Why Franco won: -greater unity -superior supplies -church=ally -aid from Germany and Italy - officers are experienced -involvement in the spanish war would have been political dynamite in France -If Britain and France were to intervene, the war could have spread to other parts of Europe -France and Britain wanted to avoid another war and they also hoped to keep Mussolini away from Hitler. However, helping Spain was too much of a risk. -27 nations joined the Non-Intervention Committee. They agreed not to send supplies to the warring factions, however, countries let individual citizens go fight as volunteers. -Hitler helped because he hoped to win supplies of Spanish minerals for his factories in Germany. A german Luftwaffe chief saw the possibility of using the war to test his men and equipment. -Condor Legion (special squadron) was a considerable asset to the Nationalists -Italy's involvement was extensive-more than 50,000 troops -USSR helps because Stalin hoped to improve the Communist image in Europe. They sent limited supplies. -International volunteers fought for the republicans and nationalists because it offered an escape. -War represents armageddon of fascism against communism. -in April 1937 Franco ordered the merger of the Falange party with the monarchist Carlist party into the FET (Falange Espanola Tradicionalista) which he adopted as his own party. -Franco's new regime was conservative Fascism that looked back to the good old days rather than forward to a new future. -At the end of the War, Franco announced that Spain had joined Germany, Italy and Japan in the Anti-Comintern Pact.
 * C. The Outbreak of the War
 * -The war was extremely savage and brutal
 * F. European Powers and the War**
 * G. Spanish fascism and European interest in the war**