THE SPANISH CIVIL WAR 8/7/1936 – 28/3/1939
AN OVERVIEW
EXTRA READING
Homage to Catalonia by George Orwell (Introduction only)
VIDEOS
British Newsreels and Spanish Civil War. Anthony Aldgate
Time Watch program Spanish Civil War
STATISTICS (Spain)
24 million of a population - 12 million illiterate
8 million living in poverty
2 million peasants landless
20, 000 people owned land twice the size of Britain.
1930 1 General to 100 soldiers
1936 200,000 Spaniards died in 2 weeks at the beginning of the war
2,000 shot in one day after the battle of Somesera
1939 2 million P.O.W.'s
1/2 million exiles
1 million unexplained violent deaths.
Differing views on the Spanish Civil War
Was it a struggle against Fascism? or
Was it a prelude to Nazism and W.W.II or?
Was it just a Spanish internal problem being sorted out?
League of Nations viewed it as an internal conflict and not their
concern.
In fact limited use was made of the machinery of the League by the
powers in an attempt to prevent the Spanish conflict from escalating
into a general European war.
The whole of Europe, U.S.A. and Britain saw Russia as a threat
and any involvement by Russia might lead to a Moscow type
government in Spain.
Franco wanted rid of the Red Army out of Spain (This he achieved
in 1939)
Britain, France, Germany, Italy and Russia tried to put into effect
a policy of non-intervention.
SPANISH CIVIL WAR PARTICIPANTS:The Spanish Government - REPUBLICANS
LEFT WING
Anarchic/Syndacilist. - Trade Union Anarchists
Marxists
P.O. U .M. - off shoot of Marxists, more extreme. Fell out with Stalin
as would not take orders.
E. T .A. - Basque separatists
Catalans
Mass of workers
Some army officers
International Brigade - Republican sympathisers, Communists and
left wing of
U.S.A., Canada, Britain
The Rebels - NATIONALISTS
the Labour party members from
France.
RIGHT WING
Falange - semi-Fascist party formed in 1934 by Primo de Rivera's
son.
Carlists - Royalists
Middle Class
Army Officers
Church.
INVOLVEMENT OF EUROPEAN POWERS
FRANCE
A Republican country keen to help but experiencing trouble at home.
The government of Leon Blum was unstable and they were frightened
if they offered too much aid this might cause a Right wing backlash
at home. Also Baldwin P.M. of Britain threatened France by saying
that Britain would not abide by the terms of the Locarno agreement
and help France against Germany if France continued to aid the
Popular Front in Spain.
France suggested therefore that no power should intervene in Spanish
problems and Britain suggested forming a Non-intervention Committee.
BRITAIN
Baldwin's Conservative government was frightened of interfering. They saw
Franco as a buffer against Spain becoming Communist. They didn't want to
antagonise Mussolini. Many Conservatives sympathised with Franco. The
bombing of Guernica (26/4/1937) put the wind up Baldwin who didn't want to
see that sort of thing happen in London.
NB see later about the hidden agenda of Britain re the Rio Tinto affair.
The Labour party (Left wing) on the other hand felt that by pursuing a policy
of non- intervention, Britain was in fact not helping the legitimate Republican
government (as recognised by the League of Nations ) get much needed
supplies whilst the rebels were being illegally aided by Portugal, Germany and
Italy. They felt that Britain could stop the spread of Fascism by aiding the
Republicans.
GERMANY
Hitler took the view that it was a war between Jewish Bolshevism the
oppressors of peoples and the Nationalists who were being called the
Rebels.
He saw the Spanish Civil war as a testing ground for his Airforce
(Guernica).
His Condor Legion gave help with dive bombers and air transport.
Hitler was also happy to see Italy tied up in Spain so he was free to
act in Austria (Anschluss).
Hitler was also keen to get vital raw materials which Spain could
supply, iron ore, iron pyrites. He would need these for his war effort.
ITALY
Again Mussolini was seeking to spread Italy's sphere of influence and
also may have had designs on Balearic Islands.
Mussolini felt this was an ideological war and could identify with
Franco's authoritarianism.
SOVIET UNION
Stalin was on the side of the Republicans. He sent them just enough
aid to keep them going. He knew that Britain and France would not
tolerate a Communist government in Spain, but he was happy to keep
the war going on as it took the attentions of Germany and Italy away
from Russia.
1936 NON-INTERVENTION COMMITTEE
Set up in London as Britain was seen as neutral in this conflict.
Aim
to stop anyone intervening in Spain.
26 countries attended the first meeting.
Problems
Italy signed the treaty and left.
Did not really constitute a signed treaty, was only a gentleman's
agreement.
Each participating country agreed for reasons of
 self interest
 on the assumptions about other countries.
Britain was concerned at the time about Germany.
Was Germany ready for war?
Germany was concerned about France.
Advantage to Britain
 it was not a treaty so she did not have to declare
her neutrality and as such her merchant shipping
etc. could move unimpeded in Spanish waters
without having to ask Franco's permission.
Did the Non-intervention Committee prevent war breaking out
earlier than 1939?

How ready was Germany and Italy?

Suggestions are that they were not.

The Committee did not take any reprisals when guns were
sent to Spain

The League had no clout.

Agreement was seen merely as a P.R. exercise.

Non-intervention agreement was an attempt to make Spain a
side issue.

There were attempts by the British government to play down
the situation in Spain by reporting that the public really
were not interested.

Public opinion would appear to be the opposite (Red
Brigade)

The government had a hidden agenda and good reason for
playing down the Spanish situation.

Historians today feel that Non-intervention agreement sent a
clear message to Hitler and Mussolini that Britain would not
get involved.
BRITAIN’S ATTITUDE

Rio Tinto Co. Britain was involved in taking Spanish
minerals. This was the economic reason why British
interests did not want Britain's involvement.

British fears re U.S.S.R. taking control of Spain.

Britain wanted to patch up relations with Italy

Britain wanted her merchant shipping to travel in Spanish
waters unimpeded.
 Britain did not want another war.
 Historians have put forward the theory that the policy of nonintervention really was the opposite because they allowed the
war to carry on.
 N.B. The aircraft taking Franco to Morocco was owned by a
British company piloted by a Brit and the men accompanying
Franco were British Secret Service men.
 Left wing socialists, intellectuals and some Labour MPs
opposed the National Government’s policy of non intervention.
 C. 2000 British joined the International Brigades and went off
to fight against “the spread of Fascism”.
GERMANY'S ATTITUDE
 Germany sent the Condor Legion.
 This was vital practice for Germany and a precursor to WWII.
 First time this type of bombing was used when Madrid was
bombed. Germany also used new tactics - Blanket bombing
Guernica was filmed and sent back to Goering.
 This was the first time that Henkels and Nunkers were used.
 Germany had economic reasons for using force against the
Communists in Spain (iron pyrites).
 At the end of the war Germany sent Franco a bill for the war
effort.
 She hoped part of the payment would be made in cash and part
in iron pyrites.
ITALY'S ATTITUDE
 She sent more men that Germany
 She made no demands on Spain
NYON CONFERENCE August 1937
 Non-intervention was not working.
 The blockade set up to stop weapons getting into Spain was
ineffective.
 Mystery submarines (Italian) torpedoing ships taking supplies
to the Republic.
 As a result a conference was called for by Britain at Nyon near
Geneva to discuss this matter.
 Germany and Italy did not attend.
 British and French navies were ordered to destroy submarines
or aircraft attacking non-Spanish ships in the Mediterranean.
 Republicans asked for protection to be extended to Spanish
ships but this was refused.
 Piracy stopped immediately.
 Being firm had paid off, but the lesson was not learned.
 Italy stops piracy but sees aid to Franco as OK
 Russian aid to Republicans is cut.
FRANCO WON BECAUSE
1. He had successfully galvanised the forces of the Right in
Spain behind him. They accepted him as their leader.
2. The Republican coalition in the early days were divided
by mistrust of the different parties
3. The war was fought on conventional lines it was not
fought using Guerrilla tactics and thus the army generals
had a slight edge over their opponents.
4. Franco received more regular and more substantial aid
from Germany and Italy than the Republicans got from
Russia or from the International arms trade.
5. The government excesses in the first days of the war had
antagonised international finance and enabled Franco to
receive credits from abroad in particular the Texas Oil
company.
6. The Republican militia made up of factions which
reflected their own political leanings not only fought the
Rebels but also quarrelled amongst themselves.
The end of the war
 saw many thousands of Spaniards fleeing over the
Pyrennes into France.
 No help was given to the men of the International
Brigade who had to make their own way home.
 Large numbers of government sympathisers were
imprisoned and shot.
 The outbreak of W. w.n prevented any financial
aid being given to Spain to help her re-build.
CONCLUSION
 The policy of 'non-intervention' as it was called, agreed by
Germany, France, Russia, Britain and Italy astonished the
Republic because it treated Franco as an equal of the lawful
government of Spain.
 Germany and Italy ignored most of the decisions taken and left
the committee in June 1937.
 France continued to supply as much material to the republic as
she dared without offending Britain whom she would need as
an ally in any possible conflict with Germany.
 Russia left the committee in Oct.1936 and helped the Republic.
 Only Britain and U.S.A. kept to the policy of non-intervention
refusing the Republic help.
 Franco was able to win with weapons and men supplied by the
two Fascist countries.
 The American Ambassador to Spain at the time said,
"World War 2 began in Spain in 1936."
 By upholding their policy of non~intervention Britain and the
U.S.A. had allowed their future enemies to win round one
CHRONOLOGY OF EVENTS
1936
8 July, outbreak of Spanish Civil War. Conflict begins with revolt in
Spanish Morocco.
4 September, rebels capture Iron in the north
1 October, General Franco appointed Chief of Spanish State by Rebels.
18 November, Germany and Italy recognise government of Franco.
1937
18 March, loyalist forces defeat Italian troops at Brihuega
26 April, Guernica bombed
l8 June, Bilbao falls to Rebels
21st October, Franco's troops capture Gijon and complete reduction of Northwest
28 November Franco announces naval blockade of entire Spanish coast
5 December loyalists begin counter-offensive around Teruel.
1938
I5 February, Franco's forces recapture Teruel.
1 April, Rebels take Vinaroz. Mussolini withdraws some troops from Spain but
40,000 remain.
23rd December, Rebels begin great drive in Catalonia and gradually drive
loyalists back towards Barcelona.
1939
26 January, Barcelona taken by Franco's troops. Loyalists resistence collapses in
this sector.
27 February, Great Britain and France finally recognise Franco's government
without conditions.
28th February, President Azana resigns.
28 March, Civil War ends with the surrender of Madrid and Valencia. Members
of the Defence Council flee.
1 April, Rebel armies in control in all main cities of Spain

GB and France non intervention policy is discredited. Democratically elected Spanish Govt
not helped, while rebel right wing Nationalists succeed in violent overthrow.

Spain now an ally of Hitler so French encirclement by fascists almost complete.

Rome-Berlin Axis much stronger. Stresa Front a dead duck.
