Spanish Civil War: A Concise Summary
At the end of July 1936, Spain was divided into two zones: one Republican, and the other controlled by the Nationalists. The Nationalists controlled part of Andalusia, Castile and León, Galicia, the Balearic Islands, and fields of Aragon and Extremadura – primarily agricultural areas with conservative political leanings.
The Republic held northern Catalonia, Levante, Madrid, Castile-La Mancha, and part of Andalusia – encompassing major cities and industrial areas.
Progress Towards Madrid
The Nationalist strategy focused on advancing from the south towards Madrid to capture the capital as quickly as possible. They occupied Extremadura in August and Toledo in September. The Republican government, facing an imminent attack, relocated from Madrid to Valencia. However, in November, Republican forces managed to halt the Nationalist offensive. Successive attempts to penetrate the city (the battles of Jarama and Guadalajara) failed. In the spring of 1937, the Nationalist high command, led by General Francisco Franco, decided to change their focus.
The Battle of the North
Between April and October 1937, the Battle of the North saw the bulk of Franco’s troops attack major northern cities. On April 26, the German Condor Legion bombed Guernica. In June, Nationalist troops captured Bilbao and the industrial and mining areas of northern Spain. Although the Republicans launched counter-offensives (Belchite in Zaragoza and Brunete near Madrid) to reduce pressure in the north, they could not prevent the fall of Santander in August and Asturias two months later.
The Battle of the Ebro and the Fall of Catalonia
In 1938, Nationalist troops advanced through Aragon and reached the Mediterranean in the area of Castellón. This effectively cut Catalonia off from the rest of Republican territory. To impede the Nationalist advance, the Republican government launched an offensive, crossing the Ebro River and pushing back the enemy. This marked the beginning of the Battle of the Ebro, which lasted over three months and resulted in heavy casualties. In November 1938, after fierce fighting, the Republicans were forced to retreat back across the Ebro. From then on, Franco’s advance on Catalonia was unstoppable. Barcelona was occupied on January 26, 1939, and shortly after, Franco’s army reached the French border. The war in Catalonia was over.
The End of the War and Exile
By February 1939, only Madrid and the central area remained in Republican hands. A coup created a board to negotiate with Franco, but he did not accept it. Between February and March, the Nationalists occupied the remaining territory. On April 1, 1939, the conflict was considered finished. More than half a million Spaniards fled to France, fearing the consequences of the Republican defeat. About half returned to Spain months later, while the rest began a long exile. When World War II broke out, thousands of Spanish Republicans joined the resistance in France against the Nazis. Some ended up in concentration camps; around 16,000 Spaniards died. Another group went to Latin America or the USSR. In Mexico, a government in exile was established.
The End of the War and Exile
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