Spanish Civil War: Causes, Key Events, and International Impact
The Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil War was a significant social, political, and military conflict that took place between July 17, 1936, and April 1, 1939, when Franco declared victory. The conflict had several underlying causes. The polarization of political parties, with right-wing and left-wing factions, intensified after the Popular Front’s victory in the February 1936 elections. This victory further radicalized the right-wing.
Between February and July, major riots erupted in the streets, with numerous shootings, deaths, and attacks on churches, political parties, and newspapers. On July 12, the socialist José del Castillo, a chief guard in Madrid, was allegedly killed by Falangists. The shock of this murder quickly spread among the assault guards. The following night, a group of guards kidnapped and killed José Calvo Sotelo, a member of the courts and a leading figure of the Popular Front. This crime convinced many of the need for a coup, which was being prepared by Mola, who had the support of the Falange, conservatives, and Catholics. The military, including Franco, were still undecided.
General Mola mounted a military uprising, which began simultaneously on July 17, 1936, in Melilla. General Franco arrived to take command. The uprising lasted until July 18, failing in some cities in Andalusia, Madrid, and Barcelona. This was due to the fact that the military units were not well-trained, except for those in the peninsula. In August, the African army units were able to cross the Strait of Gibraltar with the help of German planes sent by Hitler.
International Involvement and Key Battles
The partial success of the military uprising encouraged Fascist powers to support the rebels. In the early days, General Sanjurjo died in a plane accident. During the first months, a Board of Defense led the rebels, but some top generals acted independently. It was soon concluded that a single political and military chief was needed. On October 1, 1936, Franco was named head of state and formed a government in Burgos.
Franco’s initial strategy was a rapid advance from Seville to Madrid. However, he later chose a slow, methodical occupation of the territory. Since Spain did not have a military industry capable of supplying the necessary weapons, both sides sought foreign aid. This raised the danger of a broader European war. Italy and Germany supported Franco, while the Republic received support from the Soviet Union and, to a lesser extent, Mexico. The democratic powers, Britain and France, promoted a pact of non-intervention to preserve peace, which was not fully honored.
The French government did not provide weapons to the Republic due to news of the ongoing revolution and religious persecution in the Republican area, and to avoid a war with Germany and Italy. The non-intervention pact was violated when the Soviet Union decided to send arms and advisors to the Republic, and the Communist International recruited the International Brigades. This was a great help in preventing Franco from taking Madrid in late 1936, which led the Republican government to move to Valencia. After several battles, the fighting stalled around the capital. The Battle of Jarama was the first major open battle of the entire war.