Spanish Civil War: Key Stages and Political Developments
The Spanish Civil War: From Military Uprising to Full-Scale Conflict
The Spark of Rebellion
The assassination of Calvo Sotelo on July 12, 1936, ignited the military uprising planned by General Mola. The revolt began with the 17th Army in Morocco, led by Franco after his arrival from Las Palmas.
Stages of the War
Stage 1: Securing the Strait of Gibraltar
Recognizing the strategic importance of Madrid, both sides aimed to control the capital. Franco swiftly moved his well-equipped and loyal troops to the mainland.
Stage 2: The Battle of Madrid (September 1936 – March 1937)
Insurgent forces converged on Madrid, with Mola advancing from the north and Franco from the south. The city’s staunch defense by loyalist army and militia thwarted their plans. The Nationalists then blockaded Madrid, shifting their focus to other strategic areas. Republican efforts to advance in Aragon proved unsuccessful.
Stage 3: The Northern Campaign (April-October 1937)
The Nationalists targeted the isolated Cantabrian region. German aircraft played a significant role, exemplified by the devastating bombing of Guernica. Bilbao and Santander fell in June, followed by Gijon in October. The Republican offensive at Brunete in July failed to relieve Madrid or prevent the North’s fall.
Stage 4: The Aragon Campaign (September 1937 – Fall 1938)
Facing dwindling morale, the Republican command launched an offensive in Aragon. With support from the International Brigades, they captured Teruel in December 1937. However, the Nationalists retook Teruel and advanced in Aragon and Castellon. The Republican army suffered a major defeat, leaving Catalonia vulnerable.
Stage 5: The Catalonia Campaign (Winter 1938-1939)
The Nationalist advance through Catalonia marked the war’s final stage. City after city fell, and the Republican government’s peace negotiation attempts were rejected by Franco. Resistance ended in the Levant in March, and Nationalist troops entered Madrid on April 1, 1939, marking the war’s official end.
Political Developments
The Republican Side
The Republic struggled with a lack of unified political direction, divided between those supporting the Republic and anarchist and communist groups (CNT, FAI, POUM). These groups formed poorly trained militias. The Republic faced the challenge of fighting the rebels while controlling the social revolution. People’s committees emerged, aiming to establish an anarchist society. Successive governments under Casares Quiroga, Martínez Barrio, Giral, and Largo Caballero grappled with these issues. Largo Caballero’s coalition government suppressed worker’s committees and militias. Negrín’s government continued centralization but faced accusations of defeatism for seeking a negotiated peace.
The Nationalist Side
In October 1936, the Nationalist side began organizing a political and administrative system based on anti-communism. Franco’s leadership, bolstered by military victories, was solidified. Influenced by his brother, Serrano Suñer, Franco’s ideology emphasized unity, order, Catholicism, and anti-communism. The Falange party was restructured, incorporating traditionalists, and became the sole party, serving Franco’s will. This resulted in the formation of FET y de las JONS (Falange Española Tradicionalista y de las Juntas de Ofensiva Nacional Sindicalista) on April 19, 1937. While some aspects of the new regime were established in 1938 (Labor Law), Franco waited until the war’s end to finalize its structure.