Foreign Powers and Factions in the Spanish Civil War
Foreign Intervention in the Spanish Civil War
Axis Support for the Nationalist Cause
Foreign intervention was crucial to the fate of the rebels over the three years of war. Germany sent a combat corps and more than 600 aircraft. Hitler’s reasons for intervening were economic and strategic: primarily to weaken France, as the Republican government was pro-French. Mussolini’s Italy collaborated by sending tanks, guns, and men who fought against forces loyal to the Republic. Italy’s reasons for providing aid were to gain an ally in the Mediterranean area. The Nationalist side paid for the Italian and German shipments after the war.
The Republicans sought help from France and Britain. The British government refused to export arms to avoid tensions with Hitler and Mussolini. Meanwhile, the French government suspended supplies due to pressure from Britain.
Soviet Aid to the Spanish Republic
The Republican government attempted to buy weapons from the USSR. Stalin approved the dispatch of hundreds of planes and tanks. The reasons for this decision were:
- To compensate for the previous aid Germany and Italy provided to the anti-Republican side.
- To maintain the international credibility of the USSR as a driving force behind the worldwide proletarian revolution.
- To draw the attention of the Fascist powers away from the East-Central European area.
The consequences of Soviet material aid were momentous. Firstly, it helped prevent the collapse of the Republican army, thus prolonging the war. Secondly, it reinforced the power and influence of the Spanish Communists within the Republican administration.
Failure of the Non-Intervention Agreement
The duration and outcome of the conflict depended heavily on the intervention of foreign powers, as both warring sides sought supplies and armaments abroad. At the initiative of Britain and France, a compromise was reached to isolate the conflict and prevent its expansion. A Non-Intervention Committee was created. However, this agreement ultimately undermined the Republic and became a farce, sabotaged by Germany, Italy, and the Soviet Union. The rebels (Nationalists) received help from Italy, Germany, and Portugal. Hitler sent military equipment and aircraft, which were crucial for transporting the Nationalist Army of Africa from Morocco to the mainland.
The 1936 Military Coup in Spain
Planning the Anti-Republican Uprising
The electoral triumph of the Popular Front precipitated preparations for the anti-Republican uprising, planned by General Mola from his post in the military command of Pamplona. The participation of civilian elements in the coup plot was limited and insignificant. The conspiring generals intended to overthrow the democratic Republican regime with a swift coup, aiming to seize major Spanish cities.
Political and Social Backers of the Coup
Political forces joining the uprising included: the Phalange, Carlist monarchists (alfonsinos), most of the CEDA, and part of the Catalan League. The traditionally dominant groups led and financed the coup. Other supporting social sectors included small landowners and most Castilian Catholics.
Military Divisions and Republican Resistance
Within the military, most officers stationed in Morocco joined the uprising, while more than half of the army on the peninsula remained loyal to the Republican government.
The urban proletariat and laborers formed the core of the popular resistance to the uprising. The government surrendered weapons to unions and proletarian parties, who formed units called civil militias. These forces halted the military insurrection in several key areas during the early weeks of the war.