1936 Spanish Elections: Prelude to Civil War
The 1936 Spanish Elections and the Path to Civil War
In February 1936, elections were held again in Spain. The result was the victory of a leftist coalition called the Popular Front. It was a movement influenced by the Socialist International in Moscow, which had come to power in France and desired a similar outcome in Spain. However, Spanish socialist Largo Caballero’s aim was not a democratic and socialist revolution, but rather a regime akin to Soviet (Russian) socialism. The Republican Left party of Manuel Azaña was persuaded by the Socialists with the idea of controlling from power and avoiding the disasters of the October Revolution of 1934.
In its election campaign, the Popular Front (FP) promised amnesty to all political prisoners and compensation to those injured. They also promised schools, clothes, and food for children (education reform had failed because many people had chosen religious education) and a return to agrarian reform. However, they clarified that they would not nationalize the land, only using eminent domain to appease the anarchists.
A Tense Election and a Divided Nation
The election campaign was tough, and the results were similar to 1933. The Popular Front won a simple majority.
Right-wing groups obtained a similar number of votes, with a notable increase in seats for the National Bloc party of Calvo Sotelo. Centrist parties, like the radical Republican Union and the Catalan and Basque nationalist parties, received fewer votes, but enough to support the candidacy of Manuel Azaña of the Popular Front.
The Popular Front Government and its Actions
From the outset, the Popular Front government began to commit irregularities:
- Incorrect distribution of seats.
- Unjustified dismissal of the President of the Republic, Alcalá Zamora, who was replaced by Manuel Azaña.
- Appointment of Casares Quiroga as Prime Minister, who named several Socialist ministers, including those for the Interior and Labor.
The anarchists and the Communists acted against the Constitution and government orders, initiating occupations of farms, houses, factories, and mines. The government was unable to control the situation and even authorized some occupations in Andalusia. This caused fear among Spanish businessmen, who began to withdraw money from Spain.
The government created a police force to monitor enemies of the Republic. This force, comprised of members of the Communist Party, was called the Assault Guards.
The Military Conspiracy and the Assassination of Calvo Sotelo
Simultaneously, a group of soldiers led by General Sanjurjo organized a conspiracy against the regime. Everything depended on whether extremists would take over the Popular Front government if it won the election.
The government learned of the plot and decided to separate the most important generals, not knowing exactly who was involved. General Mola was sent to Pamplona, General Goded to Barcelona, and General Franco to the Canary Islands. These generals decided not to contact each other unless a major event occurred.
That event came on July 13, 1936: Deputy Calvo Sotelo was murdered by the Assault Guards in revenge for the death of a communist deputy during a confrontation between students and the Assault Guards. Calvo Sotelo had complained in Parliament about clashes between the university and the Assault Guards, and the Communist Party had threatened to kill him. This fact was exploited by the military to justify the coup, setting July 18th as National Uprising Day.
The National Uprising and the Start of the Civil War
On July 17, General Franco took the lead in the Canary Islands and proclaimed the Uprising, traveling incognito to Ceuta and Melilla, where he had the support of the Spanish Legion. On July 18, Generals Mola and Goded proclaimed the Uprising on the Peninsula and requested the support of all Captain Generals, who were unaware of the plan.
The following five days were critical, as the rest of the officers and the military reacted. The Infantry and Cavalry supported the Uprising, which triumphed in Andalusia (except Málaga), Castilla-La Vieja, Galicia, Navarra, Aragon, and Mallorca. In the rest of Spain, the Captain Generals were neutralized by the government with great force, and the government took control of the Navy and Air Force.
Thereafter begins the Spanish Civil War. Spain was divided into two zones: the Republican zone and the Nationalist zone of the Popular Front.