Republican victory in 1931 Municipal elections King Alfonso XIII fled Spain 2 nd Republic is established Progressive and Liberal Constitution 1931 Autonomy of various regions Renouncement to War ID: 574662
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Overview of the Spanish Civil WarSlide2
Republican victory in 1931 Municipal elections
King Alfonso XIII fled Spain.2nd Republic is establishedProgressive and Liberal Constitution (1931)Autonomy of various regionsRenouncement to WarUniversal SuffrageOne-Chambered ParliamentSeparation of Church and StateDivorce is approvedFreedom of Worship Secularization of Schools
The Second Republic 1931-1936Slide3
Two years of radical social change under the left-center government (Manuel Azana)
Anti-clericalismAgrarian ReformThe Spanish Communist party – PCE (La Pasionaria)Two years of right-center (Gil Robles)1933- Creation of the Falange Espanola (José Antonio Primo de Rivera)Asturias Mining Revolt (Franco)
The Second Republic 1931-1936Slide4
Spanish Civil WarSlide5
Except for WWII the SCW is the most written about military conflict.
Lasted 2 years and 9 months600,000 deaths1.5 Million Injured350,000 exiles250,000 destroyed buildingsFields and Banks DestroyedMoral Injuries accounted for the worst: hatred and violence towards others.Slide6
After the 1936 elections, there were multiple uprisings expressing the discontent of the Spanish population with the newly elected Left-Wing government.
Several high Ranking Officers were involved (Mola).July 17, 1936: rebellion of the military in the Protectorate (Morocco).This spreads to the peninsula on July 18th and 19th.Initial Plans for RevoltSlide7
The Uprising:
First few days of fighting were marked by mass confusion. Multiple “paseos” (popular violence).The Nationalists (right) controlled one third of the peninsula.Republicans controlled the rest of the country:
Main cities (except for
Sevilla
)
Industrialized areas
Reserves from the bank of Spain
Military vehicles and aviationSlide8
The side on the right were called
NATIONALISTS and the side on the left were called REPUBLICANSSlide9
Republicans
NationalistsCentristsThe ArmyAnarchistsThe Church
Leftist Parties
Monarchists
The Separatist
Regions (Basques and Catalonians)
Middle and wealthier
classes
Anticleralists
People without Political Beliefs
Two Forces:Slide10
The republicans were the strongest but they lacked organization.
Communist and Socialist unity (not Anarchists) Internal fights.After the ‘victory’ at Madrid (Nov 1936) the city took the appearance of a communist city. Communist party membership grew greatly by mid-1937.Towards the end of the war, the communist party took direct orders from Moscow.The Republican GovernmentSlide11
For the Republicans:
Franco-British Arm embargo:This was an agreement drawn up by France and Britain in August of 1936. 27 countries signed it, including Italy, Germany, and the U.S.S.R, all of which did not keep their promise to stay out.The Abraham Lincoln Brigade was a company of about 2,800 American soldiers devoted to fighting with the Republic against Franco. Their motto was “Keep Madrid the tomb of Fascism”. They also fought with other countries. International SupportSlide12
Stalin supported the left side (Republicans) wither orders and military supplies in order to foster the growth of communism.Slide13
Franco asked the Germans to aid him in destroying the republic with his force of
nacionales.Italy and Germany aided Franco, by supplying volunteers and aircraft
PACT
Adolph Hitler
Francisco FrancoSlide14
April 26, 1937: The German Condor Legion bombed the city of Guernica.
It was an ancient capital of the Basques region.This has been seen as a practice battlefield for WW2.Slide15
Hitler sent his famous “Condor Legion.” This was a group of skilled pilots with new planes that were skilled at dive bombing..
Slide16
They bombed the city of Guernica and slaughtered the inhabitants. Women and children were killed….Slide17Slide18
A group of women and children. They were lifted high into the air, maybe 20 feet or so, and they started to break up. Legs, arms, heads, and bits and pieces flying everywhere.
Such is the after math of this most heinous attack on the town. One third of the population was slaughtered by explosions and strafing machine guns, and 70 percent of the town was destroyed.Slide19Slide20
Territorial Exchange during the war
The Green represents the forces led by Franco.
Blue represents the Republic
What started as a military uprising in Morocco, morphed into a full fledged revolt led by General Francisco Franco.Slide21
The Spanish Civil War is known as the “Dress Rehearsal” for WWII because it was time in which new weapons and technologies could be tested for use. The Spanish Civil War ended in 1939, the same year WWII started.Slide22
End of the War:
By early 1939, the republicans only held the City of Madrid. On March 28, 1939: Franco’s troops entered Madrid and by April 1st he had announced that the war was over. The Rebels won the war because they united to create a more efficient, better trained and equipped military force.Slide23
What happened?
Government reaction
Public opinion
Civil War started as a result of an army rebellion against the Popular Front Government
The sides polarised between those who supported elected Govt. (Republicans) and those who supported the army rebels (Nationalists).
The War lasted 3 years and the Nationalists won.
Germany and Italy intervened on Nationalist side; Russia on Republican side
Br. Policy was non-intervention
Government wanted to minimise foreign intervention and to avoid the civil war spreading into a European war
Conservative-dominated government were more sympathetic to Franco than ‘Communist’ Republicans
Feared for Britain’s commercial interests if Republican side won.
Aware of Ger./Italian breaches of non-intervention
Took realistic view: ‘better a leaky dam than no dam at all’ (Eden)
Public opinion divided; Labour opposition split.
For Intervention:
If the Fascists won, then the peace in Europe would be threatened
Fascists were trying to overthrow a democratically elected Government.
2700 joined
International Brigade
Against Intervention:
It is a Spanish affair; better to stay neutral.
Against spread of CommunismSlide24
Pablo Picasso, a Spanish painter, chose to use this bombing of the town as the theme for a very large painting.Slide25
Guernica