Practices of the Spanish Civil
war #2
Causes, Practices and Effects of
Wars
Nationalists strengths
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Political unity
Military unity
Economic advantage
Foreign assistance
Political Unity
• Franco emerges quickly as the leader
• Sept. 1936 military decides it needs a central
command- they choose Franco as political and
military leader
• His rise- other major leaders died, did great as
head of Army of Africa, German aid came
through him
• 1937 he merges the 2 major political parties into
one-FET Falange Espanola Tradicionalista
which he controls
• Franco is supported by Church
• Church leaders would denounce anarchists and
communists- used a lot of propaganda
• Germany and Italy give help but don’t
undermine Franco
• Explain the importance of having a strong
central command during a war>
Military Unity
• Franco draws the local militias into the larger
army
• Army of Africa was so well trained they could
handle war while other troops are trained
• Unified command- able to adopt effective
defensive tactics quickly
• Great communications and many junior officers
• Franco has total control and ignores radical
ideas from Italy and Germany
• Franco very skilled military and political leader,
troops very obedient and loyal
Economic advantage
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Had support of the business community
Easily got credit
Controlled main food producing areas
In 1937 they win areas in North which control
industrial areas
• USA gave $700m in credit for Franco to buy
rubber and oil
Foreign assistance
“became an international crisis whose solution was
decided by external circumstance” Hugh Thomas
The Spanish Civil War 1961
• Continuous supply of aid through the war
• Germans, Portuguese, Italians sent troops
• Modern equipment
• Analyze the quote