International Impact on the Spanish Civil War
The International Dimension of the Conflict
The war forced the great powers to take individual positions, but also a common position known as an intervention. In addition, there is the ideological debate which affected both the public and intellectuals from around the world.
The Individual Actions of the Powers
The Support of the Rebels
Direct opposition of the powers was an absolutely critical aspect in the evolution of the civil war due to the intervention of Fascist Italy and Nazi Germany for the rebel army, first, and the new state of Franco later. Both countries immediately recognized the Franco government and made diplomatic initiatives in their favor. The reasons for Italy and Germany to support the rebels were of a political and strategic nature:
- For Spain, the conflict served to make a tuning of their armies in the face of the world war that was coming and for which they were preparing thoroughly.
- The Germans and Italians were ideologically sympathetic to the rebels. Franco’s victory represented the triumph of fascism and gave prestige to all authoritarian regimes.
- The support for the rebels allowed them to exercise influence over a new ally, which could be useful for international policy in the future.
- Most of the aid went to credit, and Italo-Germans became semi-gratuitous. During the Second World War, Germany and Spain contributed the materials needed for strategic interest. Germans and Italians were, therefore, limited by economic considerations for supporting Franco.
Aid from Italy and Germany
- Military units: The Corpo di Truppe Volontarie (CTV) Italian was to add 40,000 troops. The German Condor Legion combined aviation, anti-aircraft artillery, and technical class.
- Naval and air coverage: Took place throughout the conflict and was decisive for the passage of the Strait of Gibraltar by the African troops. Throughout the war, the air superiority of the insurgents was growing.
- Material: From Germany, it was first class and very innovative. They provided the rebels with abundant reserves of artillery and ammunition.
The Republic of Democracies
Initiatives of democracies were as decisive for the outcome of the war as those of fascism. Conservative governments in Britain failed to support the government of the Second Republic and maintained a discreet opposition to victory in this case. British politicians feared the impact of any social revolution in Spain and promoted a policy of appeasement towards fascism. In France, all kinds of collective commitment and actions to support the Spanish Republican government were allowed and even encouraged, although there was no official announcement. The French government closed the borders to prevent the entry of arms into Spain. The reasons for the U.S. to stay neutral were to support European communism, which did not prevent access to the ex-Army U.S. gasoline.
Support for the Republicans
The Spanish Republican government received support only from the Soviet Union (from September 1936 and after much hesitation) with a little help from Mexico, headed at that time by Lázaro Cárdenas, and the latter provided ammunition to Republicans and exiled hosts at the end of the war. Soviet support was due to a policy of rapprochement with the democracies to deal with the threat of Nazism.
The Soviet Support
- Delivery of weapons: It was made in a clandestine and slow manner, and the government of the Second Republic had to pay cash with the bank’s gold of Spain. This weapon was fashioned that received free of its allies, with the exception of tanks. These vehicles, however, were not used very often because they were still experimental.
- Recruitment of volunteers: The Soviet government ordered the Communist International to organize the International Brigades. Recruitment prompted anti-fascist solidarity movements in Western countries. The USSR also had a diplomatic presence in Spain with the arrival of the first Soviet ambassador in the history of our country.