Understanding the Spanish Civil War: A Concise Analysis

Classified in History

Written on November 26, 2025 in English with a size of 265.56 KB

The Second Spanish Republic (1931–1939)

Proclaimed after King Alfonso XIII went into exile.

First president: Niceto Alcalá-Zamora; government led by Manuel Azaña.

Key reforms:

Education: More public, secular, and free schools; aimed to reduce illiteracy.

Church-State separation: Religion removed from schools (secularization).

Women’s rights: Women gained the right to vote in 1933.

Land reform: Attempt to redistribute land from large landowners to poor farmers—slow and controversial.

Opposition: The Church, army, landowners, and right-wing groups opposed the reforms, increasing social tension.

Main Political Parties

Left-wing:

CNT: Anarchist; anti-state, pro-worker strikes.

PCE: Communist; inspired by the USSR, promoted proletarian dictatorship.

PSOE: Moderate socialist; wanted reforms through legal means.

Moderates/Republicans:

Acción Republicana: Azaña’s party; supported democracy and secularism.

Right-wing/Far-right:

CEDA: Conservative and Catholic; defended the Church and tradition.

Carlists: Ultra-Catholic monarchists.

Falange: Fascist party led by José Antonio Primo de Rivera; justified violence and centralization.

Basque nationalism:

EAJ/PNV: Christian, conservative; sought Basque autonomy through legal means.

The 1936 Elections and the Popular Front

Two main blocs formed:
Popular Front (left-wing): Included PSOE, PCE, and other republicans—won the election.
- National Front (right-wing): Included CEDA, monarchists, and Falange.
- Victory was narrow. Right-wing claimed fraud → society became more violent → a military coup was secretly prepared.

Causes of the Civil War

Social inequality (poor peasants vs. wealthy landowners).

Conflicts over education, religion, the army, and women’s rights.

Rise of fascism in Europe (Hitler, Mussolini) and fear of communism in Spain.

July 1936: Franco and other military leaders launched a coup d’état.

The Two Sides of the War

Republicans:

Included: Left-wing parties (PSOE, PCE, CNT), nationalists (PNV, ERC), and intellectuals.

Goals: Social justice, democracy, regional autonomy.

Support from: Soviet Union, Mexico, and International Brigades.

Problems: Internal conflicts between anarchists, socialists, and communists.

Nationalists:

Included: Rebel army, CEDA, Falange, Carlists, and the Catholic Church.

Goal: Stop reforms and create a unified, Christian Spain.

Support from: Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy (weapons, planes, soldiers).

Leader: Francisco Franco, who unified all forces under his command.

CONSEQUENCES

• Franco becomes dictator (1939–1975)

• No democracy or free elections

• Repression: prisons, deaths, fear

• Thousands of people go into exile

• Strong censorship (no freedom of speech)

• Spain becomes isolated from Europe

• Economy destroyed → hunger and poverty

SUMMARY:

The Spanish Civil War lasted from 1936 to 1939 and was fought between the Republicans (who defended democracy) and the Nationalists (military rebels who wanted a traditional country).
The main causes were political crisis, social conflicts, and opposition to the reforms of the Second Republic.
General Franco led the Nationalists and won the war on April 1, 1939.
The Republicans were supported by the USSR and international volunteers; the Nationalists received help from Hitler and Mussolini.
After the war, Franco's dictatorship began, marked by repression, exile, and poverty.

RESUMEN DEL RESUMEN:

1.La Guerra Civil Española duró de 1936 a 1939 y enfrentó a los republicanos (defendían la democracia) contra los sublevados o nacionales (militares que querían un país tradicional).

2.Las causas fueron la crisis política, los conflictos sociales y el rechazo de muchos a las reformas de la Segunda República.

3.El general Franco lideró a los sublevados y ganó la guerra el 1 de abril de 1939.

4.Los republicanos recibieron ayuda de la URSS y voluntarios; los sublevados, de Hitler y Mussolini.

5.Después de la guerra empezó la dictadura de Franco, con represión, exilio y pobreza.

1. When did the Spanish Civil War take place?
– The Spanish Civil War lasted from 1936 to 1939 and was fought between the Republicans (who supported democracy) and the Nationalists or rebels (military forces who wanted a traditional country).

2. Who fought in the Spanish Civil War?
– The war was between the Republicans, who defended democracy and reforms, and the Nationalists, who were military rebels aiming to restore traditional values and authority.

3. Who won the Spanish Civil War?
– The Nationalists, led by General Francisco Franco, won the war on April 1, 1939.

4. What were the main causes of the Spanish Civil War?
– The main causes were political crisis, social conflicts, and the rejection of reforms introduced by the Second Spanish Republic.

5. Who supported the Republicans during the war?
– The Republicans were supported by the Soviet Union, Mexico, and the International Brigades (volunteers from different countries who came to fight against fascism).

6. Who supported the Nationalists during the war?
– The Nationalists received support from Nazi Germany (Hitler) and Fascist Italy (Mussolini), who provided weapons, planes, and troops.

7. What happened after the Spanish Civil War ended?
– After the war, Franco established a dictatorship that lasted 36 years, marked by repression, exile, poverty, censorship, and the banning of regional languages like Basque and Catalan.

8. What was the role of Francisco Franco in the war?
– Franco led the military rebellion and became dictator after the Nationalist victory.

9. What happened in the bombing of Gernika?
– Gernika was bombed in 1937 by German and Italian planes, killing civilians and inspiring Picasso's Guernica.

10. How was propaganda used during the Spanish Civil War?
– Both sides used posters, radio, and newspapers. Franco also imposed strict censorship.

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