Spanish Civil War: Key Events and Impact
The Development of the Spanish Civil War
A Long and Bloody War
This war pitted the Nationalists against the Republicans. What began as an unsuccessful uprising became a protracted war of attrition.
Key Military Operations
Initial military operations were launched in four directions:
- Securing the Strait of Gibraltar to facilitate the entry of colonial troops into the Peninsula.
- Advancing north from Seville, aiming to conquer Andalusia and link up with rebel troops in Castile, ultimately pushing towards the capital.
- Launching an attack from Navarre towards Irun and San Sebastian, targeting the industrial area north of the border with France.
- Attacking Madrid and Toledo from the west.
Franco’s troops were unsuccessful in the Battle of Madrid. Madrid’s resistance was bolstered by Italian and German support. The Battle of Guadalajara marked a significant victory for the Republican army.
Operations During 1937
Faced with staunch resistance in Madrid, major military operations shifted to the north. Despite strong Republican resistance, the Nationalists deployed their best troops and a vast amount of war materiel. One of the bloodiest episodes involved the Italian air force and the German Condor Legion, culminating in the bombing of Guernica. The bombing of defenseless cities, a tactic not previously employed, was tested by the Germans in Spain and later applied during World War II. Bilbao eventually fell, as did other key locations. Republican forces launched an offensive in Brunete and another near Belchite, but failed to consolidate any significant positions.
The War’s International Context
Mussolini and Hitler provided aid to Franco. The United Kingdom encouraged the formation of the Non-Intervention Committee, which pledged not to assist either side in the conflict. The Republic received support only from Russia and Mexico, with the Soviet Union charging a high price for its aid. Anti-fascist organizations formed international volunteer brigades. George Orwell, in his book Homage to Catalonia, describes his experiences as a soldier and his observations of the political and social revolution in the Catalan rearguard.
The Difficult Life in the Rearguard
The enemy’s repression affected the majority of the civilian population, who were trapped by the division of the country into two opposing camps and became victims of the war’s violence and repression. Fear, espionage, controls, and arrests spread throughout the country. In the Republican zone, the Catholic Church was persecuted. Famine often forced people to resort to relatives living in the countryside or to engage in the black market (estraperlo).
Republican Politics
The government was initially led by Francisco Largo Caballero, representing the most revolutionary faction. The government fell after a violent armed confrontation between revolutionary sectors of the Republicans, specifically a clash between communists and anarchists.
- Francisco Largo Caballero: Radical socialist
- Juan Negrín: Moderate socialist (head of government after the May events)
Politics on Franco’s Side
The accidental death of General Sanjurjo allowed Franco to be appointed head of the government and Generalissimo of the land, sea, and air forces. The goal was to centralize the direction of military operations and avoid internal political divisions. He founded the Falange Española Tradicionalista y de las Juntas de Ofensiva Nacional Sindicalista (FET y de las JONS) party. The first government led by Franco was established in Burgos. Franco received international aid from Germany under Hitler. He also received support from the Mallorcan banker Juan March, who operated from London.