The Spanish Civil War: A Comprehensive Analysis
The Spanish Civil War
Among the general causes, the rivalry between the two Spains stands out. For the right, it was a crusade against communism. For the left, it was the people’s resistance against fascism. The threat of a Marxist revolution was used as propaganda by the National side, citing the role of the Republic in preparing for the coup of July 1936. The most radical wing of the PSOE (Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party) encouraged strikes in major cities. The burning of convents by radical Republicans led the majority of the ecclesiastical hierarchy to support the uprising, viewing the Republic as the worst enemy of religion.
The Uprising
The uprising was to be coordinated by General Sanjurjo and formed part of General Mola’s, Franco’s, and Goded’s, and Fanjul’s plans. The plan involved a simultaneous uprising of all garrisons, starting in Morocco. Franco, with the Army of Africa, would move to the capital. On July 12th in Madrid, Lieutenant José Castillo, a socialist, was killed. His peers responded by kidnapping and killing José Calvo Sotelo. This murder was the trigger for the Civil War.
The uprising of July 18th was designed as a quick coup. However, the failure of the rebels in a few key points led to the internationalization of the war. The military uprising only triumphed in a part of Spain: North Africa, the Canary Islands, and the Balearic Islands. Industrial centers and large cities remained loyal to the Republic.
Sides and Support
The rebel side had the support of different political groups: Falangists, Carlist monarchists. The Republic had all the political groups on the left, along with the urban proletariat, laborers, the petty bourgeoisie, and most of the progressive aviation and two naval battalions. Both sides sought outside support from the outset.
The Republic received help from Stalin’s USSR, and France supplied weapons initially. The Civil War had a great impact, with extensive international media coverage.
Phases of the War
There are three main phases:
- The Fight for Madrid: The main objective of the rebels was to take Madrid. To cross the Strait, they had the help of German planes. Toledo fell in late September, and in early October, the rebel troops arrived in Madrid. The Republican administration was trying to reconstruct the diverse command structure. In this first phase, both sides persecuted and executed those considered enemies.
- Northern Front: After the failure to take Madrid, Franco’s troops conquered the entire northern peninsula, seriously altering the balance of power between the two sides.
Political Developments
Political developments in the two zones differed. In Republican Spain, the military coup caused a process of social revolution. Republican Spain lacked political unity from the beginning, and internal divisions between political parties and trade union forces eventually increased.
Nationalist Spain, although having defined a certain type of government, found a dictatorship necessary. Franco was appointed by the former Defense Board as Chief of all armies. The first steps were: cancellation of the agrarian law, banning all political parties, abolishing the right to strike, and cancellation of free expression.
Consequences
The Civil War had very serious consequences. The losses resulting from exile were relevant, not only quantitatively but especially qualitatively. Besides those shot, there were countless prisoners in concentration camps. To the economic losses, one must add Franco’s sending of more than 500 tons of gold to the USSR and the destruction of economic resources and infrastructure during the war, which are difficult to calculate.