Spanish+Civil+War



Tyler Birch Nate Zimpher Vikram Sharma Hinze 2 / October 1, 2009


 * Spanish Civil War**

The Spanish civil war directly affected the personal and political lives of Spanish citizens and, through a broader perspective, the war changed the way most all future conflicts would be fought around the world and set the stage for WWII. The tactics tested and employed by the Nationalists and Republicans alike in the Spanish Civil War would be premonitions for the Axis tactics in WWII.


 * Causes of the War**

One may say that there were many causes that led to the violent and gruesome war we know as the Spanish Civil War. After General Miguel Primo’s seven year dictatorship of Spain was over, a republican form of government had gained strength in Spain. Liberals and socialist supported the republican form of government, along with others that did not want a monarchy. The movement gained strength as time went on and soon King Alfonso XIII was forced into the demands of the republicans and accepted free elections. Republicans soon took control of the government as Alfonso left the country, thus creating what was known as the Second Republic. From 1931 to 1933 the left wing alliances of republicans and socialist attempted to transform the social, economic, and political ideals of Spain such as reducing the influence of the Roman Catholic Church in Spain’s politics and society. The upper classes of Spain were also threatened as land reforms endangered industries and land owned by the wealthy. These new reforms were not popular among the conservatives in Spain which soon took violent opposition. The new alliance of left wing parties known as the Popular Front was starting to lose recognition with Spaniards (1). On July 17, 1936, Spanish army reserves located in Morocco ignited a revolt against the current Spanish government. It wasn’t long before the rebellion spread all throughout Spain as the rebels controlled approximately one third of Spain. Although the Republicans still controlled Spain's major industrial centers, and the capital Madrid itself, it could not stop the rebels also known as the Nationalist from spreading. The hysteria of a violent revolution was becoming more and more widespread and in the madness “Thousands of civilians were executed by working-class groups fearful of a reaction from rebel supporters” (2). In the late July of 1936, the Nationalist formed a new government in Burgos called the Council of National Defense. This new council of defense elected Francisco Franco to serve as the council’s chief commander of armed forces and to be head of the Nationalist government (3). Franco and his advisors soon changed the government based on fascist and conservative principles. He gave some power back to the Roman Catholic Church back in his new government. Franco also received extensive military support such as aircraft, tanks, and troops from the German and Italian dictators Hitler and Mussolini. On the other hand, the Republicans received no support from France and Britain. To them, “the conflict represented a new threat to the international equilibrium that they were struggling to preserve” (4). Without France and Britain’s support the Republicans struggled, as the Soviets were the only country in support of the Republicans. In exchange for Spanish gold reserves the Soviets supplied the Spanish with food, clothing, and military equipment. Although Italy and Germany gained mining rights from the Nationalist, their main incentive Spain was also a testing ground for new technology, advanced weapons and war tactics (5).

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 * The Nature of the War**

The Spanish civil war encapsulated many different factions and behind those factions many sub-factions, all different microcosms of ideological thought (6). To ensnare this far-reaching war to one description is impossible so, instead it shall be explained though the many lenses through which it was funded, operated and perhaps the most important view, through the eyes of the Spanish people (Republican and Rebel alike). Total war in its most stripped down version is “A war in which all the resources of a nation, such as manpower, industry, and raw materials, are used in the national interest, and in which attack is made not only on the armed forces of the enemy, but also (subject to certain limitations) on all its civilian people and property” (7). Under these circumstances the Spanish civil war was definitely total war to both Spaniard factions. Both mobilized almost all resources to the war and even called in the help of outside powers the republicans even [armed] the masse [into… groups] under the banner of the //Milicias Anti-fascistas Obreras y Campesinas// (Workers’ and Peasants’ Anti-Fascist Militia)” (8). Civilians were targets for both sides. The fascists had strong connections with the Roman Catholic Church and with anti-clerical and theological sentiment brooding in the ranks of the Republicans, violence ensued. Leftist groups killed an estimated 10,000 clergymen and women “to defend Spain’s secular republic” and “wipe out what they saw as Catholic resistance” (9). The violent anti-catholic stance of the Republicans is very similar to the anti-Semitic purge of the Jews in Germany. The Fascists took the bloodshed of war to the people too and on April 27 German bomber and fighter planes started the bombardment of the Spanish city of Guernica with everything from incendiary bombs to hand-grenades (10). Stalin had his hands on the strings of the Republican forces by offering volunteer brigades, ammunitions and army commanders. He also had loose ties to the Republican government and had little political power. Mussolini and Hitler were very involved in Franco’s revolution and the interests of Fascism. Both dictators provided manpower and armor but it was Germany that sent the planes to Guernica to test the destructive capabilities of newer technology and strategies. To these countries this Spanish conflict was but a limited war: one that was “A war confined to a limited area, usually of strategic importance” (11). Other nations such as England, France and America had volunteer regiments such as the Abraham Lincoln and Washington Brigades that fought for the republicans but these mostly communist recruits were few. The fact that these countries had volunteers certainly does not say that these countries were even in a limited war but it does show the growing popularity of pro-communist and anti-fascist sentiments that would serve as a catalyst for events in the post Spanish war years.


 * Woman's Role During the War**

Women played an important role and stepped in for men who left to fight in the war. Many women had already worked outside the house, but were still called upon to work in the fields and take over other typical male jobs. Spanish women often banded together in their communities to collect material and war donations to make winter clothes and coats that they would send to soldiers (12).


 * Effects of the War**

During the Spanish Civil War, the average life of a civilian was turned upside down. During the war, both the Republican and Nationalist side evacuated children, women, and the elderly from war zones. The Republicans evacuated children to Britain, the Soviet Union, Belgium and Mexico, while the Nationalist sent the refugees to refugee camps in Germany, Italy, Portugal, and the Netherlands. Many children were able to reunite with their families after the war, but many sent to the Soviet Union stayed and lived there through WWII (13). Most Spaniards experienced hunger, hardships, the struggle to survive, and the loss of security and equilibrium. A major problem throughout the war was food shortages. The shortages occurred because most families received a food ration and competed with the consumption of the soldiers at the front lines (14). In the Republican zone most land and farms were collectivized; which means the land was given out to the citizens, therefore private ownership of land was ended. This gave citizens an equal share of the land and an equal distribution of the products. From a moral perspective, collectivization was designed to create equality for workers, however; it did not produce an efficient system of production during the war and thus the heightened insufficiency of food for Republican citizens. Most wars end with an armistice, peace treaty or other formal understanding. The Spanish Civil War ended without a treaty or formal understanding. This is because when the Nationalist declared victory and the Spanish Republic surrendered most Republicans fled to France. The Nationalist declared a total victory and assumed power of the government, so there was no other party to make a treaty with. Many historians believe the Spanish Civil War was a proxy war between the Soviet Union and Italy and Germany. Although the American government did not support the Republican side, many American volunteers left for Spain to fight against the Nationalists. The war ended with heavy tensions between Germany, Italy and Britain, France, and the Soviet Union (15).

The Spanish civil war directly affected the personal and political lives of Spanish citizens but through a larger lens the war changed the way most all future conflicts would be fought around the world and set the stage for WWII. The tactics tested and employed by the Nationalists in the Spanish Civil War would be premonitions for the Axis tactics in WWII.

Works Cited (9)Allen, John. //National Catholic Reporter// 26 Mar. 2001: n. pag. //Gale Virtual Reference Library//. Web. 28 Sept. 2009. . This article not only articulates the effects the war took on the catholic church, but also the role the catholic church took in the war and the cultural differences and animosity between Catholics and leftists. (6)Atkin, Nicholas, et al. “Daily Life in the Spanish Civil War, 1936-39.” //Daily Life Online//. N.p., 2009. Web. 28 Sept. 2009. Goes in great, detailed length about the daily lives of the citizens of Spain during the war especially the role of women in a once patriarchal Spain. (12)ibid (13)ibid (8)Atkin, Nicholas, et al. (1)“Civil War.” //World Book Advanced//. N.p., 2009. Web. 29 Sept. 2009. . A plain definition of civil war as a “war between opposing groups of citizens of one nation”. (2)ibid (3)ibid (11)“Limited War.” //World Book Advanced//. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Sept. 2009. . Defines a limited war as “A war confined to a limited area, usually of strategic importance”. (4)“Spanish Civil War.” //Encyclopaedia Britannica Online School Edition//. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Sept. 2009. . A good overview of the war. Talks about the causes, time line, and the different reactions by artists but doesn’t talk about outcomes besides death-toll. (5)ibid (14)Spanish Civil War (15)ibid (10)“Spanish Civil War.” //World History: The Modern Era//. ABC-CLIO, 28 Sept. 2009. Web. 28 Sept. 2009. . This source contains information about German involvement in the war, the condor legions and the Guernica bombing. Steer, George. “Bombing of Guernica: Original Times Report from 1937.” //Times Online//. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Sept. 2009. . An eyewitness account of the bombing of Guernica. Provides detailed observation of the tactics employed by the Germans in their air-raids plus the emotion that is usually unseen in many encyclopedic entries on the event. (7)“Total War.” //World Book Advanced//. N.p., 2009. Web. 29 Sept. 2009. . A plain explanation of total war as “war in which all the resources of a nation, such as manpower, industry, and raw materials, are used in the national interest, and in which attack is made not only on the armed forces of the enemy, but also (subject to certain limitations) on all its civilian people and property.”