Spanish Second Republic & Civil War (1931-1939)
The Dictatorship of Primo de Rivera (1923-1930)
The continuing crisis had exhausted the system of the Restoration. The lack of appropriate policy solutions led to the imposition of a dictatorship. The Captain General of Catalonia, Miguel Primo de Rivera, led a military coup and soon had the support of King Alfonso XIII.
Primo de Rivera became dictator in front of a directory which suspended the operation of all constitutional institutions and the Constitution itself. The dictatorship initially benefited from a sound international economic environment and the ending of the war in Morocco.
When it became clear that Primo de Rivera had intentions to remain in power, political groups began opposing his dictatorship.
The Second Republic (1931-1939)
Establishment of the Republic & The Reformist Biennium (1931-1933)
On April 14, 1931, the Second Republic was proclaimed in the midst of popular enthusiasm. A provisional government was formed and called for elections to the Constituent Cortes. The June elections gave victory to the left and center parties.
The new Cortes began to develop a Constitution, which was adopted on December 9th. The Constitution defined Spain as a democratic republic of workers, established universal suffrage (male and female), a unicameral Cortes, and a new model of territorial structure for the state, authorizing the formation of autonomous regions. Catholicism ceased to be the official state religion and freedom of worship was established.
Once the Constitution was approved, Niceto Alcalá-Zamora, a member of the Republican right, was named President of the Republic, and Manuel Azaña became Prime Minister.
Reforms
- Drafting of the Statutes of Autonomy: The Statute of Catalonia was approved, which entrusted the regional government to the Generalitat. In 1936, when the Civil War began, the Basque Country Statute was also approved.
- Agrarian Reform: The Basic Law of Land Reform provided for the expropriation of undeveloped land and its distribution to farmers.
- Reform of the Army: The number of commanders was reduced, and they were required to swear allegiance to the Republic.
- Religious Issue: The government proposed to reduce the influence of the Catholic Church in society.
These reforms led to confrontations between the government and the affected groups. General Sanjurjo revolted in a coup that failed, but served as a warning of the delicate relationship between the military and the government.
The Radical-CEDA Biennium (1933-1936)
The 1933 elections gave victory to the right-wing CEDA. Despite its victory, CEDA initially remained in the background but later decided to participate in the government. Some leaders of the PSOE, who believed that the CEDA would do away with the Republic, called a general strike.
The strike escalated in Asturias, where the insurrection became very violent. In Catalonia, the President of the Generalitat proclaimed independence within a federal Spain.
The Asturias uprising was bloodily suppressed by the army. The “independence” of Catalonia lasted only a few hours, and Companys was arrested along with other thirty thousand people in Spain.
The Triumph of the Popular Front
The harsh repression of the revolution took a toll on the Radical-CEDA government. This was accentuated by a series of corruption scandals that tarnished the image of the Radical Party. In the midst of a new government crisis, Alcalá-Zamora called for elections in February 1936.
The Popular Front won the elections, and Azaña was named President of the Republic.
Civil War (1936-1939)
The Civil War in the International Context
The conflict coincided with the rise of fascism and the appeasement policy of democracies. The League of Nations agreed on a policy of non-intervention. However, Italy and Germany sent entire divisions to support Franco, while the Soviet Union sent advisors and arms but no troops.
Military Developments
General Franco, from the Canary Islands, took charge of the Moroccan troops. The main challenge was to move these troops to the peninsula, which he achieved with the help of German and Italian planes.
Once across the Strait, the rebels advanced through Extremadura towards Madrid along the Tagus valley. The resistance of the capital in the Battle of Madrid dashed the rebels’ hopes for an immediate triumph.
The most outstanding episodes of the confrontation were:
- The Northern Campaign: Rebel troops occupied Bilbao, Santander, and Asturias. This campaign included the bombing of Gernika, one of the best-known episodes of the war internationally. Mola was killed in this campaign.
- The Battle of Teruel: It became the scene of one of the heaviest battles of the war, with the city changing hands several times before finally being held by Franco’s forces.
- The Battle of the Ebro: Initiated by the Republican army in an attempt to regain the initiative, it ended with a decisive victory for the insurgents.
- The Surrender of Madrid: The city’s weakness and exhaustion, along with a plot by some anti-government Republican military and politicians, facilitated Franco’s entry into Madrid.
Political Developments in the Republican Zone
Serious problems arose in the Republican zone, including the formation of a regular and disciplined army. The Republican government had been forced to entrust its defense to inexperienced volunteer militias. The non-intervention policy prevented the government from acquiring the necessary weapons, and food shortages soon became a serious problem.
There was also disunity among the groups that supported the Republic. Anarchists saw the war as an opportunity to complete the revolution and socialize land and factories, prioritizing this over winning the war.
The most significant episode highlighting the disunity among Republicans were the events in Barcelona, which caused the downfall of Largo Caballero and the formation of a new government headed by the Socialist Negrín.
Negrín attempted to end the conflict by negotiating with Franco, but this effort failed. His policy then shifted towards the slogan “resist to win.”