Mitch Addison, '28
The year 1936 is a very important year for the people of Spain, as it marked the beginning of the Spanish Civil War. Over the previous few decades, Spanish political life became more polarized, and people began to support extreme parties such as the Fascist Falange, anarchists, monarchists, socialists, and communists.
The extreme political tension eventually boiled over on July 17, 1936, when an attempted military coup by Spanish nationalists failed, erupting into a civil war. The coup did not entirely fail, however, Spanish Morocco, the Canary Islands, and the Northern region of Spain were seized by Nationalist Spain. The rest of Spain was under the control of Republican Spain, the opposition to the Nationalists. General Francisco Franco, who initially seized Morocco, became the leader of Nationalist Spain on October 1, 1936. Meanwhile, Republican Spain changed leaders all throughout the war.
Both the Nationalists and Republicans were weak at the start of the war, and they knew it, so they turned to the rest of the world, primarily Europe, for assistance. Nationalist Spain requested help from Fascist Italy and Germany, while Republican Spain received help from France and the Soviet Union. Both sides received troops, weapons, planes, tanks, and other equipment. Eventually, internal politics in France forced them to cease their intervention in Spain, and a nonintervention agreement was signed between Italy, Germany, and the Soviet Union, which they proceeded to ignore. As the war dragged on, it became more apparent that it was going to be a war of attrition.
In April 1938, Republican Spain was split in two as the Nationalists marched through Teruel reaching the Mediterranean Sea. In December 1938, the Nationalists seized control of Catalonia, the region of Spain directly south of France. In March of 1939 the Republican Government fled into exile in France. Soon after, anticommunist and communist factions began to fight within the republic.
Finally, on March 28, all of the Republican armies had disbanded and surrendered, meaning that Nationalist Spain won the war. A Fascist victory in the Spanish Civil War caused concern for Britain and France as the peace they were trying to preserve would not last with Fascism on the rise. Fascist Germany and Italy saw this as a victory and a good way to test new aircraft and tanks. Many artists and creatives were able to make films and other works based on the Spanish Civil War, such as Ernest Hemingway’s For Whom the Bell Tolls. The Falange, who ruled over Nationalist Spain, would last for 38 years until their formal abolishment on April 1, 1977.
Comentarios