The Spanish Civil War, 1936

What was the Spanish Civil War?

The Spanish Civil War broke out in July 1936 between the left-wing government and a right-wing grouping eventually led by General Franco.

Who got involved in the Spanish Civil War?

A number of countries sent military support to help either the left or the right in the Spanish Civil War.

• ❖ Britain and France headed a non-intervention committee that banned countries from formally becoming involved in the Spanish Civil War. This meant that other nations did nothing to help the democratically elected government of the Spanish Republic.
• ❖ The fascist powers of Italy and Germany and the communist Soviet Union ignored the committee and got involved anyway.
• ❖ Hitler and Mussolini sent German and Italian troops to fight on the side of General Franco. They wanted to help in what they saw as an international fight against communism.
• ❖ The USSR supported the republican left-wing government.
• ❖ Volunteers from various countries travelled to Spain to fight on both sides. These units were known as the International Brigades.

Why did Germany join in the Spanish Civil War?

There were a number of reasons why Hitler felt it would be beneficial to assist Franco in the Spanish Civil War.

• ❖ He hoped Franco would be a useful ally if he won. However, Spain declared its neutrality in the Second World War.
• ❖ The German Army was able to practice and develop its tactics and skills in battles, such as blitzkrieg. In particular, the Luftwaffe used new bombing techniques at Guernica in 1937.
• ❖ Hitler hoped Italy would ally more closely with Germany if they fought together, and become distanced from Britain and France. In November 1936, Mussolini made a speech declaring the Rome-Berlin Axis.
• ❖ He wanted the Spanish Civil War to provide a distraction for world leaders, allowing him to develop his plans for central Europe.

What were the results of the Spanish Civil War?

The Spanish Civil War ended after two and a half years with several results.

• ❖ It was seen as a battle between left-wing and right-wing ideologies, and represented the growing level of conflict between fascist, communist and democratic governments.
• ❖ It killed 750,000 people. The scenes of aerial bombing were particularly shocking to people at the time.
• ❖ General Franco won the war and became the leader of Spain. During the Second World War Spain remained neutral while he focused on the problems at home.
• ❖ It was seen by Hitler and Mussolini as a victory for fascism over the forces of communism and democracy.