Spanish Civil War: A Concise History and Analysis
The Spanish Civil War (1936-1939)
Origins of the Conflict
The Spanish Civil War, a brutal and complex conflict, began in Andalusia. Seville was the first city to join the military uprising, while Almería was the last to fall. Despite leftist strength, Queipo de Llano’s actions in Seville secured Nationalist triumphs in Granada, Córdoba, Cádiz, and Huelva. Italian forces captured Málaga and the coast in 1937. Nationalist Andalusia encompassed the west, including Seville and its surroundings, while Republican Andalusia comprised the eastern region.
The Republican government, led by José Giral (who replaced Santiago Casares Quiroga), armed radical groups to form a People’s Army. This lack of authority led to ruthless repression, claiming the lives of figures like Muñoz Seca, Maeztu, José Antonio Primo de Rivera, and the bishops of Guadix and Almería.
Largo Caballero and the Rise of Negrín
Largo Caballero became Prime Minister to control the revolution and consolidate forces. His government included anarchist ministers, granted autonomy to the Basque Country, and moved the government to Valencia. Clashes between communists, anarchists, and the POUM culminated in a smaller civil war within the larger conflict in Barcelona in the spring of 1937. Largo Caballero was replaced by Juan Negrín, a medical professor who ended the infighting and gained communist support. Negrín returned to Madrid to organize resistance, but a Defense Board ultimately managed the surrender.
Repression continued on both sides, with victims including Federico García Lorca and Lluis Companys.
Franco’s Rise and International Involvement
On October 1, 1936, Franco was declared Head of State and “Generalísimo” in Burgos. The Falange Española Tradicionalista y de las JONS became the sole party, and the Church, severely affected by the Republican revolution, supported the “new state,” framing the war as a crusade. Franco was proclaimed “Caudillo” in 1938.
The war was not an isolated event. The Republican government sought aid from Britain, France, and the Soviet Union, while the rebels received support from Germany and Italy. France initially provided assistance, but pressure from the right led to a limited contribution of 300 aircraft. Britain, concerned about Gibraltar and the Strait, proposed a Non-Intervention Committee, which proved ineffective as Germany, Italy, and the USSR continued to aid their respective sides. The U.S. remained largely non-interventional. Mexico, however, sent ammunition and rifles. The Soviet Union provided substantial aid to the Republic, including aircraft and tanks, in exchange for Spain’s gold reserves.
Franco received more effective aid. Italy sent aircraft, vehicles, and volunteers, while Germany’s Condor Legion provided aircraft, equipment, and technicians. Portugal also offered support.
Consequences of the War
The war resulted in nearly one million deaths, including battlefield casualties and executions. Post-war deaths continued due to the conflict’s aftermath and harsh prison conditions. Many fled into exile, fearing repression, to France, Mexico, North Africa, the USSR, and other Latin American countries. This exile significantly impacted Spain’s economy and cultural life.
Repression continued with prisoners, concentration camps, and forced labor (Valley of the Fallen). Those in hiding and individuals purged from administration and professions faced psychological trauma. The Maquis, guerrilla fighters, sought refuge in the mountains.
The war devastated the Spanish economy. Population decline, war expenses, destruction of infrastructure, and decreased production across sectors hindered economic growth. Landowners, the army, and the Church emerged as dominant forces in Franco’s society. Businesses established in formerly Republican areas, and veterans were rewarded with government positions and business concessions.