Spanish Civil War Essay. (–39), military revolt against the Republican government of Spain, supported by conservative elements within the country. When an initial military coup failed to win control of the entire country, a bloody civil war ensued, fought with great ferocity on both sides. The Nationalists, as the rebels were called, received Spanish Civil War Essay Words | 4 Pages. Spanish Civil War (–39), military revolt against the Republican government of Spain, supported by conservative elements within the country. When an initial military coup failed to win control of the entire country, a bloody civil war ensued, fought with great ferocity on both sides Spanish Civil War Essay Topics. The following essay topics are designed to help your students think deeply and critically about the people, places, events, and outcomes related to the Spanish
Spanish Civil War Essay on History, Spain
Essay Examples. Spain is a country in Europe that experienced the horrific effects of a civil war. The war lasted for years, with thousands of lives lost and it took Spain decades to recover from the consequences of these events that took place during the middle of the 20th century. In the early s, spanish civil war essay, a miniscule republic emerged in the country of Spain. At this time most of Europe was already a republic, but this was Spains first attempt at this. Spain had always been a monarchy since before medieval times. It was the last monarchy in a major European nation. In Spain the failure of the spanish civil war essay in Africa caused an uprising from the military followed by resistance from the Republic that wanted to crush any ambitions of the leader of Nationalists, General Franco whom wanted to seize power.
Inspanish civil war essay, the Spanish Army, stationed in Morocco under the leadership of fascist General Francisco Franco, finally rebelled against the new republic. The Spanish Civil War set the stage for the biggest war humanity had ever have to face in World War II. By comparing the political situation during the war, the various reasons that led to it, and the political influence from outside political forces, we can see the devastation of this tragic war. The end of the 19th century marked the first time Spain had suffered such a humiliating loss. A one time colony ruled by a king, the Spaniards saw most of its overseas land disappear. In the Spanish American War ofSpain was forced to leave Cuba, Puerto Rico and the Philippines.
This embarrassing defeat was the first sign of political instability in Spain exposing not only the military but also the political and governmental fragility. Internal problems appeared as well in the beginning of the 20th century. Catalonian and Basque separatist movements challenged the domination of the Spanish government in Madrid[2]. The growing support of these two movements combined with the political instability and social disapproval of King Alfonso XIIIs actions, General Primo de Rivera seized power. Rivera had maintained a military dictatorship between and and focused on turning Spain around by having it catch up to the other European powerhouses of that era. However, he wasnt successful and left office when he received notice that the garrisons were against spanish civil war essay. Although the Second Spanish Republic was established in through a coalition between the socialists and republicans, the situation in Spain did not spanish civil war essay, this lead to the infamous coup detat of July 17, by the forces of General Francisco Franco Even before that the Spanish countryside witnesses naked socialist conflict throughout the Republican era.
Three main strands are essential in understanding the struggle of the Spanish Civil War: the general strike, the regional revolt in Catalonia, a northwest province of Spain, and the revolutionary commune in the Asturias. The general strike was a total failure; it was supposed to create an alliance between the left wing of the Socialists and the several small Marxist parties in Spain. However, it only represented the sheer failure of the working class leadership. In Catalonia the reaction took the form of a regional uprising against the central government. The Catalan government was threatened by the rise of the Fascist movement and on October 5 the Madrid government had declared a national emergency to deal with the general strike.
However, the Catalan rising was suppressed with a minimum bloodshed. The truly grave events occurred in the northern mining province of Asturias. Socialists, Communists, anarchists and Trotskyites managed to unify against the threat of Fascism. On October 5 Asturian miners attacked several Civil Guards and thereafter marched to the main provincial capital of Oviedo where they were met by Moorish and Foreign Legions led by General Franco. The Asturian rising had challenged the entire basis of the parliamentary Republic, and the government suppressed the uprising with troops whom the Spaniards considered savages and foreigners, spanish civil war essay.
Catalan and Basque governments were suspended on the grounds that their political conflicts amounted to a direct attack on the Republic of Spain. It was the ultimate battle between the Republican forces and those of the Nationalists led by Franco. The Spanish Civil war is more complex that than a simply a battle between fascists and republicans or socialists. First, the spanish civil war essay might be described as a revolution rather than a civil war. The popular front was mostly made up of leftist worker groups, which include the communists, socialists, and Anarchists, rather than republicans. These groups each had different agendas for Spain. The communists P. The socialists P. M wanted to set up a worked controlled government with the influence of Russia.
While the Anarchists C. He was backed by rich landowners, which wanted to return to feudal Spain, spanish civil war essay, Spanish Fascists, which wanted a Fascist Spain, spanish civil war essay, and the military. In addition, international politics had considerable influence over the Spanish Civil War. The final result of the war is a familiar one, spanish civil war essay. Francos forces were successful, and the General declared that the war had ended on April 1st Turning over to the political infrastructure of the war, it was clear that the Spanish Civil War served as a model for the events that were to take place in the Second World War. It was a battle not only for political supremacy in Spain, but also of two political ideologies that were to change the history of Europe forever and the world forever.
On one side Francos fascist regime had the full support from the beginning of the war of Adolf Hitler from Germany as well as from Italys dictator, Benito Mussolini. On the spanish civil war essay side, although the help came later, the Republicans got some support from Russias Joseph Stalin. In the eyes of European leaders it was the battle of fascism versus communism and the eyes of Europe were on Spain. One of the most famous pictures of General Franco, is the one of him on his desk, while the Fuhrer, is clearly visible in the background. His strong feelings towards Hitler spanish civil war essay well known, and Hitlers support was tremendous to his ultimate goal. Hitlers assistance came several days after the outbreak of the war, when Franco sent a German businessman, who lived in Spanish Morocco, and the local Nazi leader to Germany to request planes and other support.
Hitlers Junker Ju transport planes were responsible for airlifting Francos elite troops across the straits of Gibraltar, marking the beginning of the war on mainland Spain[5]. Hitler did not greatly exaggerate when he said in that Franco ought to erect a monument to the glory of the Junkers. It is this aircraft that the Spanish Revolution has to thank for its victory. Germany supported fascist Spain for several reasons. Germany was on the brink of starting World War II and an ally in Spain would be very valuable to their goal of world conquest.
Germany used the Spanish Civil War as a training ground for its new weapons and tactics in preparation for World War II. Guernica was a small town in northern Spain with fewer than seven thousand residents, spanish civil war essay. It served no strategic purpose and was harmless to Germany. On April 26,German bombers dropped incendiary fire-starting bombs on Guernica for several hours completely decimating the town. The number of troops that were sent to the Civil War underlies this importance. Italy supported fascist Spain for the same reasons as Germany. Italy, a fascist state under dictator Benito Mussolini, wanted to ensure that Spain became a fascist ally. Mussolini, spanish civil war essay, like Hitler, also feared the spread of communism.
Italy, like Germany, used Spain as a training ground for its new weaponry in preparation for World War II. Hitler, besides the aerial support, had sent thousands of troops and Mussolini between December to February alone, spanish civil war essay, had sent to Franco between 40, and 50, troops. France and Britain, the two countries that the Republic seemed to look to for support, opted not to help. The principal aim of both countries was to keep the Spanish Civil War from becoming a general European war. There are several reasons why Britain, France and United States did not intervene in this war.
First of all, with the First World War still in everybodys mind a Non-Intervention Pact was signed on August spanish civil war essay, Introduced by France, it was signed by the five major European Nations of France, Britain, Germany, Italy, and Russia. The purpose of this pact was to contain the war within Spain by prohibiting the member nations from supplying materials of war to either side of the conflict. In spite of this pact only Britain and France abided to the agreement. Britain was especially determined to improve relations with Germany and Italy while at the same time maintaining the traditional alliance between them and Portugal,[8] rather than risk entering the war, spanish civil war essay. On Spanish civil war essay 8,France closed its border with Spain to materials of war and thus deprived the Spanish Republic to its right under international law to purchase arms for self-defence.
Joseph Stalin however, saw this civil war, as something more than just an internal conflict. He viewed this as a military and ideological expansion of Hitlers regime in the rest of Europe, spanish civil war essay made sure to act on it quickly. Russia sent the most aid to the republic but most of it was confiscated by the French at the border. Train loads of war supplies, airplane parts, artillery, and ammunition, mostly Russian, bound for the republic, were held up at the French border. Stalin sent thousand there, and thousands were the number of volunteers that flocked Spain spanish civil war essay different countries, such as Britain and France.
By March35, foreigners supported the Republic cause,[9] among them the great novelist George Orwell, whose Homage to Catalonia is an account of his services on the loyalist side[10]. Orwell quickly leans the diverging ideologies of the many groups in the Popular Front have lead to serious tensions and even violent conflict. For example, while Orwell is on leave from the front in Barcelona riots erupt after the Comminutes storm the Anarchist run telephone company. During the next few days that follow there is bitter fight between groups that are supposedly on the same side. Communists, Socialists, and Anarchists, all members of the Popular Front, spanish civil war essay shooting at each other.
As the war progress the divisions become more defined. By the end of the book, the P. M is declared illegal and Socialists and Anarchists are being rounded up and jailed. Luckily Orwell, with aid of British consulate, is able escape to France and eventually back to England. Near the end of the war, France allowed several trainloads to pass through but it was too late. Most of the supplies were either destroyed or sent back lest they fall into enemy hands. When the fascists captured Catalonia, in January of, republican soldiers and civilians fled to France. The refugees were confined in concentration camps and were subjected to horrible conditions[11].
Another country that Spain depended upon was the United States. After World War I, American foreign policy refused to interfere in the affairs of other countries, especially European nations. Since the signing of the Neutrality Act ofAmericans were prohibited from selling any weapons of war to a country in war.
Francisco Franco and the Spanish Civil War
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The Spanish Civil War occurred in Spain, during the years of primarily. This Civil War was a result of a military revolt against the government, which was Republican, controlling Spain at the time. This military revolt was lead by a military coup, which tried to take control of the entire country of Spain, failing, beginning the Civil War By end of March the last standing Republic cities of Valencia and Madrid fell to the control of General Franco and the Nationalists, shortly and thereafter on April 1, General Franco announces the end of the Spanish Civil War. This Civil War was truly unique. It began as a struggle within Spain with two different political ideologies tearing the country apart, and Estimated Reading Time: 9 mins Spanish Civil War Essay. (–39), military revolt against the Republican government of Spain, supported by conservative elements within the country. When an initial military coup failed to win control of the entire country, a bloody civil war ensued, fought with great ferocity on both sides. The Nationalists, as the rebels were called, received
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