The Spanish Civil War 1936-1939

• Feb. 1936 elections won by Popular Front (Socialists, Communists, Liberals, Anarchists) with 34 % of the vote.
• New Government threatened establishment.
• Promised land reforms, laws against Catholic Church, reduction of military power: 8000 officers retired.
• Chaos on the streets, strikes, squatting on estates.
• Clashes between political factions. Political terrorism.
• Republican government powerless stop it.
• Army rebelled to bring back order and crush threat of Bolshevism.

  Who in Spain supported the Republican Government?

• Working classes, landless peasants and the rural poor.
• Strong support from Communists, Anarchists and Socialists.
• Regional support from the Basques and the Catalonians.
• Military remained relatively loyal in July 1936, 55000 sided with Government, 62,000 sided with Franco.
• Police, civil guard and assault guard 60% remained loyal.
• Most of the sailors of the navy supported Government.
• Balance shifted as 24,000 strong army of Africa was 100% behind the rising.

  Why was Spain important?

• Geographical position: If Spain fell to the Nationalists, France would be surrounded by Fascist states.
• Position on the Mediterranean: vital naval bases both on the Mediterranean and Atlantic. Balearic Islands could control shipping, submarine bases.
• Natural resources: Iron ore plus bauxite essential for war effort. Would be coveted by Hitler.

  In August 1936, Blum had adopted a policy of Non                Intervention. Why?

• Genuine fear of civil war in France due to extreme political upheaval. The French Right and Left were marching and fighting on the streets of Paris.
• Large sections of French society supported the Nationalist e.g Catholics. Many intellectuals admired fascism - saw the order and glory that Hitler and Mussolini had brought to their countries.
• France isolated. Nazi-Polish Non Aggression Pact broke France's Little Entente. Forced to rely on British support.
• Influence of Britain - France could not act alone. Baldwin gave strong signals to Blum that Britain would not welcome French support for the Republic.
• Political survival - Blum's cabinet divided over Spain. Aid one way or the other would split the cabinet and bring down the Government.

  Eden declared Non-intervention as a leaky dam but better than no dam. What were Britain's reasons for supporting this policy?

• Conservative Government under Baldwin had no sympathy with what it regarded as a Red Government. Viewed Popular Front as a Bolshevik Dictatorship. Attitude was that fascism was a lesser evil to communism.
• Fear that Intervention would result in a general European war - wanted to avoid this at all costs so turned a blind eye to German and Italian involvement. Neutrality would avoid antagonising Hitler and Mussolini.
• Believed that Franco would win anyway. Did not want to make him an enemy. Gibraltar would be vulnerable.
• British economic and business interests: Spain was Britain's largest arms importer. Big companies such as ICI invested in Spain. Capital in sherry, olive oil, mines and textiles. Feared that these would be nationalised.

  What military impact did the International Brigades have on the war?

• Very emotional war. The Left saw it as an opportunity to stop fascism in its tracks. International Brigades attracted thousands from differing backgrounds. Trade Unionist, Refugees from fascist Italy and Germany. 60,000 volunteered.
• Majority had no military training or experience. Poorly equipped. WW1 rifles and machine guns. Showed great courage and enthusiasm. Used in all the major battles, they soon earned a reputation for resistance. Casualty rate was high at 75 %.
• More effective as a morale booster for the Spanish people. Badly mauled, they were paraded through Barcelona and sent home.

Were Hitler and Mussolini instrumental in the final Nationalist victory? Why?

• German Condor Legion had 600 aircraft and 200 tanks. Gave Nationalists command of the air in a war where aerial bombardment and superiority became decisive. German Junkers airlifted Franco's Troops and Army of Africa from Morocco.
• Mussolini gave Franco 47,000 Italian Volunteers who boosted Franco's units.
• German 88mm artillery and tanks were far superior compared to Republicans. Quantity of material and human help was less than that given by the Soviets to the Republic. But it arrived on request and when most needed after setbacks or before major attacks. Germans tried out new weapons and tactics.

 Why was the Soviet Union a reluctant supporter of the Spanish Republic?

• Stalin realised international fascism posed a threat. When war broke out, Stalin responded vigorously with aid but then declined. Communists organised International Brigades.
• Never intended to give the Republic enough to ensure victory but only to enable it to resist until the Spanish war escalated into a wider European conflict involving Britain, France and Germany. Once the Munich Agreement (1938) dashed this prospect, Stalin lost interest and Soviet aid dried up.
• The Republic had to buy arms on the black market via Russia. This was paid for with her gold and silver reserves that were shipped to the Soviet Union.
• Overtly supporting the Government would threaten the French - Soviet Pact and may have resulted in Russia losing an ally.
• Impact at home. Soviet Union had become a dictatorship under Stalin. All those involved in Spain were purged and liquidated.

Did the Spanish Civil war remain a cruel side-show or did it influence the outbreak of WWII?

• Changed the balance of power in Europe. Before, Italy was allied to Britain and France through the Stresa Front. War brought Germany and Italy together with the Pact of Steel (May 1939)
• Hitler's confidence grew. Led him to believe that France and Britain were weak and would appease him at any cost....Sudetenland..... Poland.
• Stalin was dismayed by the behaviour of France and Britain. Concluded that they were unreliable partners who were probably conspiring against him. Led to the Nazi-Soviet Pact that sealed the fate of Poland.