Foreign Intervention in the Spanish Civil War
Foreign intervention played a crucial role in the development of the Spanish Civil War. The Republic attempted to involve the League of Nations against the direct intervention of Italy and Germany. However, they had to wait for a resolution to be approved, which was ultimately not implemented.
France and the United Kingdom produced a document prohibiting the sale of military equipment to Spain, aiming to prevent the internationalization of the conflict. This indirectly helped the Republic by preventing arms delivery to the rebels, but it failed. France became a host country and haven for exiles. The United States interpreted the war as an advance of communism in Europe and adopted a policy of non-intervention, banning arms sales to Spain, although large companies supplied Franco’s army.
Aid to the Rebels
- Germany: Offered decisive military aid early on to support the insurgents, both for strategic reasons (isolating France in a future conflict) and to test their war machine. The Legion Condor aircraft played a crucial role, notably in the bombing of Guernica. Germany also provided communications equipment, aircraft, tanks, and trucks. Unlike Mussolini, Hitler did not send large numbers of troops, only military trainers, and provided financial support.
- Italy: Provided vital aid in terms of manpower and economic value. Mussolini’s support was immediate, with a treaty of friendship and recognition of the Burgos government (capital of the Nationalist government). Italy hoped to gain advantages in its ambition to control the Mediterranean. Assistance included equipment (aircraft to transport troops across the Strait of Gibraltar), approximately 120,000 volunteer soldiers, and funding through the SAFNI company.
- Portugal: Made a smaller contribution, sending volunteers (the “Viriatos”), and allowing its territory to be used for military operations and arms transport.
Aid to the Republic
As a legitimate democratic regime, the Republic should have received aid from Western democracies. However, only the Soviet Union and Mexico decisively supported it.
- Soviet Union: Began support in October 1936, providing consistent aid throughout the war, including over 1,000 aircraft, tanks, technical assistance, and logistics. The USSR demanded payment in advance, forcing the Republic to send the Bank of Spain’s gold reserves to the USSR, which were not restored after the war. Some studies suggest the economic value of the aid exceeded the deposit.
- Mexico: Supported the Republic from the beginning. President Lázaro Cárdenas ordered the deployment of munitions and rifles from his own army.
- International Brigades: Composed of volunteer troops (approximately 60,000 men) who, despite their governments’ non-intervention policies, chose to fight in Spain for the Republic and against fascism. They were mostly left-leaning individuals (anarchists, socialists, communists), but also included exiled German and Italian intellectuals, and unemployed or displaced individuals from the United States, Canada, France, Great Britain, and other countries. Their major contribution was in the defense of Madrid and Guadalajara. In 1938, facing inevitable Republican defeat, the Brigades left Spain to facilitate peace talks with Franco.