International Impact and Aftermath of the Spanish Civil War
International Impact of the Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil War forced the great powers to take individual positions, but a joint position was also established, known as the Non-Intervention Agreement. Added to this was the ideological debate that affected both public opinion and intellectuals from around the world.
Individual Actions of the Powers
The positions of the powers were critical in the evolution of the Civil War due to the intervention of Fascist Italy and Nazi Germany in support of the rebels. Italy and Germany’s reasons for supporting the rebels were of a strategic and political nature:
- The Spanish conflict served as a testing ground for their armies in anticipation of the coming World War.
- The Italians were ideologically sympathetic to the rebels. Franco’s victory represented the triumph of fascism and gave prestige to authoritarian regimes.
- Support for the rebels opened the possibility of influencing a new ally that could be useful for future international politics. However, Franco did not participate in sending volunteers to the Russian front and protected pursued Nazis and Fascists after 1945.
- Most of the Italo-German aid was in the form of credit and became semi-gratis. During World War II, Spain contributed materials of strategic interest to Germany.
- Direct support was secretly provided through the delivery of arms. This was done slowly, and the Second Republic had to pay in cash with the Bank of Spain’s gold.
- The Soviet government organized the Communist International, recruiting volunteers from around the world and driving the International Brigades. Anti-fascist solidarity movements in the West were promoted, as was diplomatic presence with the arrival in Spain of the first Soviet ambassador in the history of the country.
The Collective Non-Intervention Agreement
All the powers agreed to refrain from diplomatic and military interference in Spanish affairs and banned arms exports to Spain. This policy, known as non-intervention, prevented the legitimate government of the Second Republic from freely supplying itself with arms abroad to defend against the rebellion. A committee was in charge of ensuring the effectiveness of the non-intervention agreement. This policy, advocated by the British government, was successful to some extent in isolating the Spanish conflict but failed critically. It strengthened fascism and not only did not prevent but encouraged international conflict, as was the case with World War II.
Consequences of the War
The Civil War was tragic for Spain, resulting in many deaths, disappearances, exiles, repression, and economic losses.
Deaths and Disappearances
Demographic losses practically amounted to a million, but only 300,000 people died on the battlefields. The Franco regime prolonged executions directly linked to the war for around a decade. If losses from disease and malnutrition resulting from the Civil War are added, the figure of one million people would be easily surpassed. To the deaths should be added the declining birth rate.
Exiles
Losses as a result of exile were relevant not only quantitatively but especially qualitatively. The exiles made their way to France and Mexico and, to a lesser extent, North Africa, the USSR, and other Ibero-American countries. For all these people, the vicissitudes of exile were tragic. Those who migrated to Africa or Europe saw their situation further complicated by the outbreak of World War II and the Nazi advance, with numerous Spaniards ending up in German concentration camps.
Repression
Besides those who were shot, there were prisoners and internees in concentration camps. Franco sentenced many to hard labor on pharaonic works. Those who remained hidden in attics, basements, and even trunks were known as “moles.” There were also those who practiced internal exile due to their own convictions or because of rejection by their neighbors after having been in prison or a concentration camp.
Economic Losses
Countless economic losses occurred. To the decline of the working population must be added the shipping of gold to the USSR, the costs occasioned by the war, and the destruction of public and private buildings, railway networks, and roads. The post-Franco policy aggravated the situation, as Spain delayed its levels of economic growth even more than the European states that suffered World War II.
Beneficiary Groups
There were groups that benefited from the new situation, such as the military, landowners, and the Church, which became hegemonic elements in Francoist society. The authority of the business sector was also restored.