Spanish Civil War: Causes, Battles, and International Involvement
The Spanish Civil War 1
The Military Uprising
Since the night of the February 1936 elections, General Franco attempted to declare a state of war. In March, a group of generals (Mola, Goded, etc.) agreed to a military uprising to restore order. Initially, the conspiracy had little strength until Mola became its director. His plan involved a simultaneous declaration at all possible garrisons, with Madrid and Barcelona considered key, and the Army of Africa (the best prepared) as a special reserve, under Franco’s command. The supreme leader of the uprising was General Sanjurjo, who had revolted in 1932 and was living in exile in Portugal.
The military conspiracy had the support of most right-wing political forces, who helped create a network of civilian and military links to spread the movement and seek economic support. Political groups with militias, such as the Carlists and the Falange, also joined the plan. The murder of right-wing leader Calvo Sotelo in Madrid on July 13 helped convince the most reluctant, but it was not the decisive factor for the uprising, which was already planned. July 18 was set for the uprising on the Peninsula, while the rebellion in the Protectorate was advanced to the 17th.
The uprising failed in large cities (except Zaragoza and Seville), succeeded in the interior capitals, and resulted in mixed outcomes elsewhere. Success or failure depended not only on the rebels’ military skill but also on the social and economic conditions of each region. The uprising succeeded in inland Spain, Galicia, and Guadalquivir, agricultural areas with large estates worked by laborers or small landowners, representing the most backward and conservative Spain. It failed in the more developed and industrialized east and north, with a larger number of industrial workers and more evolved agriculture.
In Madrid and Barcelona, fighting occurred over two days between rebels and troops loyal to the Republican government, aided by leftist organizations (notably the anarchists in Barcelona). In Valencia, the situation was undecided but ultimately favored the Republic. The rebels were a conglomerate of conservative military, landowners, Catholics, Carlists, and those who opposed the popular elements and petty bourgeoisie in power. Those loyal to the Republic were the working classes, urban workers, landless peasants, and petty bourgeoisie. Middle classes linked to nationalist or republican parties also supported the Republic, fearing a social revolution.
International opinion initially viewed the conflict as a struggle between fascism and democracy, or even between fascism, democracy, and communism. Spain was seen as a microcosm of a feared global confrontation. However, this view needs qualification. The Civil War was an armed conflict between the old dominant groups of the Restoration and emerging bourgeois and worker groups seeking a democratic political system and a progressive social order. The army’s uprising, supported by the Church, meant that the republican bourgeoisie’s reforms, though fair and essential for modernizing Spanish society, frightened the wealthy classes. Fearing a social revolution, they abandoned legal and parliamentary means and opted for a coup.
The Development of War
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The war went through four phases:
l. The rebel advance towards Madrid (July to November 1936) 2. The battles around Madrid and occupation of the North (December 36 to October 37).
3. The offensive was the Mediterranean (November 37 to June 38) 4. The Battle of the Ebro and the end of the war (July 38 to April 39)
1. The rebel advance had Madrid .- In August 1936 the Army of Africa across the Strait gets (with the help of Italian and German aircraft). Once on the Peninsula, take the city of Badajoz and moves on to Madrid, but Franco ordered the African column (with regular Legionnaires and Moroccan) is diverted to Toledo to take the city and release the Alcazar, where he held several hundred of rebel soldiers with their families. In late October Ya?l? columns were already at the gates of Madrid.
As the capital was in danger of being conquered, it was decreed a general mobilization to save. Thousands of people with enormous enthusiasm and fortified the entrances inside the city, men and women dug trenches and prepared for the defense were born while slogans like “No pass away” and “Madrid, tomb of fascism.” The Republican government moved to Valencia, leaving the defense of the capital in the hands of a junta headed by General Miaja. Despite the efforts of the African army, assisted by air cover, Madrid from November to January resisted the frontage of the national forces could not take the city. Madrid helped in their fight the forces of the International Brigades and a column of anarchists arrived from Barcelona, led by Durruti, who was killed fighting on the Madrid front.
2. The battles around Madrid and Northern occupation .- In this second phase of the war, born People’s Army of the Republic, at the initiative of the Communists, because until then the Republican forces were made up mostly of volunteers of parties and unions. These “militants” were militarized in much thus creating a hierarchical and disciplined force which could oppose the national army.
The attempt to take the capital, the rebels launched two maneuvers to isolate envelopes Madrid. To take the road to Valencia (where the main supplies came to the city) took place the battle of Jarama (February 1937) that was long and cruel and only ended due to exhaustion of both armies and even managed to cross the nationals River, failed its objective was the isolation of the capital. In March 1937 he produced the battle of Guadalajara, where the Italian fascist troops allied with Franco, suffered a stunning defeat at the hands of the reorganized Army of the Republic. Franco then decided to change strategy, abandoning the attack on Madrid and llevando.la war to other scenarios. The struggle moved North. Between April and October 1937 was the battlefronts were moving from east to west: Vizcaya, Santander and Asturias. In April, produced the world’s first air raid on ‘civilian population, Guernica (Vizcaya) with many victims and conducted by the German and Italian aircraft on the orders of General Franco’s headquarters.
Bilbao was occupied during the month d ~ June. The Republic to ease military pressure on North, unleashed two attacks: one in Brunete (near Madrid) in July andthe second Belchite Gunto Zaragoza) in August, but failed to prevent the troops Franco from entering first and then in Asturias Santander. In late October 1937 throughout the Gaza North was in the hands of insurgents.
3. The move to the Mediterranean .- In December 1937, the Republican army had been renewed with the emergence of the mixed brigades and was commanded by a good strategist, General Vicente Rojo. In this new army cadres were integrated from the popular militias (Lister, the Peasant and so on.) The new Republican Army tried to take some offensive initiative triggering the most important of which took place in Teruel in the winter of 193,738. The Battle of Teruel began with the capture of the city by the Republican forcesBut with the advance of Franco’s troops, the republican forces finally left the city in February. The French army then broke through the campaign of Aragon and reaching Maestrazgo Vinaroz Mediterranean (Castellón) in April 1938. The Republican territory was divided into two zones and Catalonia was isolated. Franco did not attack Catalonia and preferred to continue the attack southward (Castellón and Valencia). Their advance was halted when the republican army unleashed a powerful attack on the Ebro River in the province of Tarragona.
4. The battle of the Ebro and the war elfinal .- The Battle of the Ebro ended with the defeat of the Republic and was one of the major military events of the war. It began on July 25 with the Republican attack between Mequinenza and Amposta.
Republicans crossed the Ebro and occupied Gandesa, where they managed to hold out for a few months. Franco sent heavy reinforcements, including German and Italian aircraft and managed to stop the attack. He fought in early November and the Republican army had to retreat to the other side of the river, while Franco’s troops were advancing to occupy the entire south of Tarragona and across the Ebro in its mouth.
Franco decided to undertake the definitive conquest of Catalonia. Barcelona surrendered without a fight in late January 1939. The fall of Girona flight to France meant thousands of refugees, including the Republican government, installed in Barcelona since October 1937. In early February was busy throughout Catalonia uerto of the Republic fully determined.
In February 1939, the Republic had only the Central, which included Madrid and throughout the Mediterranean region from the north of Valencia to Almeria. The Prime Minister Negrin, supported by the Communists wanted to continue the war, but there were no significant s confrontation. In late February, Britain and France recognized the Franco government since early March, Azana who was in Paris, presented his resignation as President of the Republic.
In March in Madrid was a fight between supporters of surrender to Franco, among whom was Colonel Casado, some socialists and some anarchists Besteiro Mera, and the Communists who wanted to resist. Married eventually made and attempted to negotiate an “honorable peace”. But Franco only accept an unconditional surrender. Married ordered the Madrid defenders to abandon their positions and allow the passage of the national forces ..
On March 28, Franco’s troops entered Madrid without resistance. Franco’s army also occupied throughout the Mediterranean area. April Ell Franco Burgos signed in the last part of war: “On this day, captive and disarmed the Red Army troops have reached their final national military objectives. The war is over.”
> 17.3. The internalization of the conflict .-
The rebels were most favored by foreign aid assistance in German and Italian weapons (planes, tanks, artillery, rifles, ammunition etc.) Was the most important, numerically and tactically (recall that thanks to the transport aircraft Italy and Germany, the army could move to Africa. peninsula. Germany sent an aviation unit and the Condor Legion used the war in Spain to test some of their new weapons. cashed his help with the delivery of minerals and other products estratEgica. Italian aid consisted of sending a unit the Corpo di Truppe Volontarie (CTV), but their help was important in weaponry. With rebel troops contingent of volunteers fought the Portuguese, Irish and other nationalities. Moreover Nationalist Spain was from the outset with the financial support of the fascist powers, which sent aircraft, tanks and ammunition on credit, promising to get (in the case of Germany) the exploitation of mines and tungsten other minerals considered essential in wartime.
Mussolini was even more generous than Hitler, sending men and heavy weapons with the promise of repayment by Franco, when he had won the war (it was paying to Italy until the sixties). Even the U.S. (which theoretically were neutral) allowed oil companies to supply fuel to vehicles of Franco’s army (as it was not regarded as war material).
On the Republican side from the first moments of the insurrection the government first asked for help to France (which also had a Popular Front government), but the war in Spain immediately raised fears of its extension to Europe amid a delicate situation. If some countries intervened militarily in Spain, the war could go international. Great Britain who came to defend a policy of “appeasement” to Nazi Germany wanted to avoid at all costs an armed conflict in which they could confront both powers. So the British government informed the French government (whose sympathies were with the Republicans) that if his intervention in Spain caused a clash with Germany, Britain would remain on the sidelines. France then, not to be isolated, bowed to the demands of the English and encouraged the creation of a committee of non-intervention to see that neither side in contention in Spain, receiving international assistance.
This Committee was created in early August 1936. Was based in London and he ended up partnering twenty-seven countries, but failed to prevent the two sides receive foreign aid. In this Committee were represented, the countries that provided assistance to combatants: Germany and Italy (who supported Franco’s side) and the USSR (which backed the Republicans), who joined the Committee to policing them. France and Britain respected the agreements of non-intervention, (which the Spanish will face each country with no weapons or sell them directly intervene) but allowed the fascist and communist powers violate the treaty agreements. The policy of nonintervention was a great injustice to the Republic and one of the reasons for its defeat, denying a sovereign and legitimate right to acquire weapons to defend against an insurrection of his own army.
The only country that helped the Republican side was the USSR which supplied arms, aircraft and munitions. The Soviet military advisers played a prominent role in organizing tactic of war and its influence exerted through the Communist Party. Soviet influence was responsible for some crimes against the enemies of Stalinist communism, the disappearance and murder of Andres Nin, leader of the POUM (Trotskyite party ally of anarchism). The international aid that was given to the Republic in combat units fu eron International Brigades, made up of volunteers from Europe and America, mostly leftist ideology (mainly communist) who came to Spain to fight fascism. In their recruitment and organization played a key role communist organizations of various countries of the Comintern (Communist International).
Moreover Republican Spain, he found ninga country to provide him credit. To obtain weapons from the USSR and France had to put up as collateral gold reserves of the Bank of Spain, who in late 1936 had departed from Moscow Cartagena. Only Mexico Republican peseta accepted as payment for their shipments to the Republic (mainly oil). When the end of the conflict, Franco asked the USSR the return of Spanish gold. Stalin replied that the weapons had sent a price even higher than the gold come from Espal and still owed him money.