Spanish Civil War: International Impact and Aid
The International Dimension of the Spanish Civil War
Many in the Republican band considered it suicidal to resist the politics of President Negrín after the fall of Catalonia. On February 1st, in a desperate attempt to secure an honorable peace, Casado, with the support of the CNT and sectors of the PSOE led by Besteiro, formed the Defense Council in Madrid. It did not recognize the authority of the government of the Republic and began negotiations with Franco to try to obtain an honorable peace that would avoid the repression of the victors of the war. However, Franco delayed until late February. Azaña resigned as president of a Republic that no longer existed upon seeing how France and Britain recognized the Franco government in Spain as legitimate. Faced with this situation and the internal division of the remains of the Republic, Franco demanded unconditional surrender from Casado. Madrid surrendered on the 28th. The United States admitted the fait accompli and diplomatically recognized the Franco regime.
International Dimension of the Conflict
The Civil War was no longer an internal conflict but quickly acquired an international dimension. The great global issue was decided on our land: the prevalence of democratic values over totalitarianism. This was ultimately a preview of the great dilemma that would eventually lead to World War II. It is not difficult to understand, therefore, that each of the warring factions had their own sponsors, to the extent that each of them took the ideology of the warring parties, and their model of state and society, as their own.
The Initial Position Before the War: The Non-Intervention Committee
Without massive foreign aid to both sides, the war in Spain would not have lasted more than six months or a year at most. This would have been due to the shortage of military equipment and spare parts that both sides would have produced. Both sides, aware of the need for external support, addressed their requests for help to the powers closer ideologically or those who might be more interested in being involved in the Spanish war.
The rebels asked for help from Mussolini’s Fascist Italy and Hitler’s Nazi Germany, while the Giral Cabinet went to France to request assistance. However, in early August, when it was found that Italy supported the rebels, France proposed the creation of a Non-Intervention Committee, an idea quickly accepted by the other democratic power of Europe, the United Kingdom. It was agreed not to help either side through various measures:
- The armed forces of England, France, Germany, and Italy would control a maritime area each to prevent war material from reaching Spain.
- France and Portugal would close their land borders.
But non-intervention was violated by the Soviets, Italians, and Germans.
Aid to Republican Spain
The Republic initially asked for help from democratic powers such as France, the United Kingdom, and the USA. However, for one reason or another, they found only negatives:
- In the United Kingdom, there were conflicting opinions. Thus, they supported the policy of non-intervention, dragging France along with them.
- The United States maintained its traditional policy of isolation.
In this way, the Republic had to settle for the little help that Mexico provided and, especially, with the support that the Soviet Union began to give. The USSR, a totalitarian power ruled with an iron fist by Stalin, began offering military aid to the Republicans at an early stage. The Soviet aid was plentiful but demanding. In addition to this material support, the International Brigades were formed in the fall of 1936, aiming to recruit volunteers from across the world to fight alongside the government side.
Aid to Spain in Revolt
The rebel faction immediately called for help from Fascist Italy and Nazi Germany. They responded to their requests. In this way, the Francoist side acquired German and Italian military equipment on credit or through the delivery of raw materials. Similarly, little by little, the revolt began receiving Spain’s diplomatic support from various powers.