Spanish Civil WarBy: Tanmay Asija, William Lee, Rusheel Nayak, Ajith Subhash

La Guernica (Spanish Civil War)

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Spanish Civil Warhttp://www.gmtgames.com/spanishcw/

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Constitutional Monarchy

Liberal reformists attempted to adjust the political system so that it would accurately depict Spain’s societal realities

Liberals wanted to limit power of the monarchy and establish a liberal state

Conservatives wanted to preserve the Spanish government and prevent any rebellions

Owners of large estates, latifundia, held most power - created land-based oligarchy

Attempts by workers and merchants to overcome latifundia were unsuccessful

Constitutional Monarchy – 19th

Century 1868 – Overthrow of Queen Isabella II of the House of

Bourbon Caused by urban riots Liberal movement within middle classes led by military

1873 – King Amadeo I of the House of Savoy proclaims First Spanish Republic Powerless Republic

December 1874 – Restoration of the Bourbons Reform was less important than peace and stability

Constitutional Monarchy

Traditional sectors of politics attempted to stop any liberal reforms and preserve the monarchy Carlists fought to maintain Spanish tradition and Catholicism

Anarchism popular among working class Defeated in clashes with government forces

20th Century: Industrial working class steadily growing

Constitutional Monarchy – New

Parties Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party gained support

1912 – Reformist Party founded by Alejandro Lerroux Wide support from working class Argued that Catholic Church was inseparable from State

Growing fear of Communism

1921 – Communist Party found Socialist party splits

Constitutional Monarchy – 20th

Century 1923 – Miguel Primo de Rivera governs Spain as military

dictatorship New policies, but support slowly fades away Resigned in January 1930

King Alfonso XIII abdicated and Second Spanish Republic formed

Second Republic “Source of hope to the poorest, but threat to richest”

First Prime Minister – Niceto Alcala-Zamora

State in poor financial position

Three groups of opposition: Catholic movements - influence over judiciary and press Supporters of the monarchy – wanted to overthrow republic

with violent uprising Fascist organizations

Violence was mundane

Constitution of 1931 Approved on December 9th, 1931

“A democratic republic of workers of every class”

Constitution’s reformist and liberal nature extolled by Republican-Socialist collaboration

Removed any special rights held by Catholic Church

Proclaimed religious freedom and promoted separation of Church and State

Second Republic October 1931 – Leader of Opposition Party Gill Robles

calls for crusade against republic

Zamora resigns and Manuel Azaña becomes Prime Minister

Radical Party join opposition and Socialists support Azaña

Azaña declares Spain to “cease to be Catholic” Spanish Catholics join opposing party

Second Republic – 1933 Election

Fascist Confederation of the Autonomous Right – Confederacion Espanola de Derecha Autonomas (CEDA) Created by Gill Robles to contest 1933 election

Fascist Party (Falange) set up by Jose Antonio

Enormous victory for CEDA and Radicals Won 219 seats

The Black Two Years Period of time following the November 1933 elections

Rising tension and violence before war

Radicals more aggressive and conservatives use military

330 assassinated and 1511 wounded in political violence

The Black Two Years December 8th 1933 – First anarchist protests

Open violence in the streets of Spanish cities

Radical Leader Lerroux resigns in April 1934

Socialist Party breaches Parts attempted to move towards Bolshevism while other parts

disagree

Election of 1936 Popular Front – Communists, Socialists, Republicans

Elections of 1936: Popular Front vs. National Front (government) Popular Front wins

Manuel Azaña appointed president Reintroduced Second Spanish Republic

Disorder and political violence spread throughout country

Peasants seized lands – many strikes

Overthrow of Government

Jose Antonio’s Fascist Falange grows Supporters of Roble’s CEDA joins ranks Common usage of political violence and attack

Army plotting to overthrow new government Generals were truly monarchists and were alarmed by influence of

socialists and anarchists Leader – General Mola

July 13th 1936 – Monarchist politician Calvo Sotelo assassinated by Republican police to avenge death of one of their men

Military makes begins to overthrow government

Spanish Civil War Fought in Spain from July 17th, 1936 to April 1st, 1939

Began when conservative generals led by Jose Sanjurjo called for a pronunciamiento (declaration of opposition) Against Second Spanish Republic under President Manuel

Azaña

Rebel coup supported by CEDA, monarchists such as Carlists, and Fascist Falange

The Coup (July 18, 1936)

Officers of the military rebellion expected an easy victory over the Popular Front Government

They did not expect the strength of the Spanish people who took up arms and defended their elected government

The Coup (July 19, 1936)

Rebels (Nationalists) gained control of Morocco, Navarre, Seville

The Spanish people were able to crush the rebellion in large cities such as Madrid and Barcelona

Santiago Casares Quiroga (prime minister of Spanish government) resigned

Diego Martinez Barrio (moderate Republican leader) replaced Quiroga, but could not peacefully discuss topics with the rebels Also resigned

Jose Giral took the position of prime minister and he distributed arms to the masses

The Coup (July 20, 1936)

Anticipating a long, drawn out war, the rebel officers asked Fascist leaders, Benito Mussolini (Italy), Adolf Hitler (Germany), Antonio Salazar (Portugal) for aid - responded with massive aid

Democratic and Socialist powers sympathized with the Spanish government but did little to aid them France sent planes, Mexico sent rifles, Soviets sold

armaments in exchange for gold reserves Non-Intervention Policy – enacted by Democratic/Socialist

powers to not intervene officially within Spain Fascist governments ignored this policy

The Army of Africa The Rebels controlled 1/3 of Spain within a few days

Their best army (Army of Africa led by General Franco) was stuck in Morocco with no access to Spain (Spanish Government controlled most of the Navy)

Mussolini and Hitler sent planes to airlift the army to Seville

The Nationalists began to win the war - they began to murder any government supporter in the countryside as they marched toward Madrid

International Brigades Madrid was expected to fall easily – Government

relocated to Valencia

International Brigades of volunteers began to come to Spain to help the Government fend off the rebellion German, Italian anti-fascists, American pilots 40,000 foreigners fought, and 20,000 served in

medical/auxiliary units

The Lincoln Batallion American volunteer brigade Diverse group - consisted of Jews, Blacks, people ranging in

ages from 18-60

Important Events Hitler’s Condor Legion firebombed Guernica, a town of no

– symbol of fascist ruthlessness

Popular Front Government (coalition of middle-class Republicans, moderate Socialists, and Communists) had a civil war within the Spanish Civil War - weakened the Spanish government

1938 “Great Retreats” Republic forces faced continuous firebombing by 600

Nationalist planes and 100,000 men Pinned Republic forces against the Mediterranean Sea Spanish government had one last offensive which was

crushed

Outcome British and French representatives met with Hitler and

Mussolini Gave Hitler Czechoslovakia (Czech representatives not

invited) Agreement sealed Spanish fate International Brigades retreated out of Spain April 1, 1939 war ended

Franco began a reign of terror Concentration camps, mass executions until 1944 World War II had begun by this time

500,000 deaths in the Civil War

League of Nations Failure

France had to deal with internal problems, namely the rise of Fascist-style political parties and a weak coalition government Frightened that helping the Spanish cause would spark a

revolution within France

Britain did not want to get involved with Spanish problems, even though it did not have domestic problems

No action was taken by the League of Nations, even after seeing Hitler’s Germany enter the war

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