In the 1930’s the world faced a world wide great depression…

There was poverty and unrest. Many felt that a “communist” government might hold answers to relieve the misery…

Others turn to fascist dictators.

Both Communist governments and Fascist governments practiced TOTALITARIANISM.

Totalitarianism means: Total control.Control over people’s livesControl over what they readControl over where they workControl over political processControl over businesses.

In Germany and Italy, people gave up their personal freedoms for the economic prosperity and national glory that Hitler and Mussolini offered them.

In Russia, Stalin was forcing the Communist system on the people. When the farmers of the Ukraine rebelled, he starved them to death.

In Spain, the government would face a test when force on the “right” who were anti-communist, would face those on the “left.”

This clash became a civil war, which cost Spain billions of dollars and hundreds of thousands of lives.

The war should have ended early on…but outside “dictators” sent support. Who were those dictators?

Yes. Hitler and Mussolini supported the right, and Stalin supported the left.

For these dictators, it was an opportunity to “test” their weapons, including tanks and planes, and see how they worked.

Many other nations wanted to fight for the two sides—some Americans included--but all came unofficially to support the side that they believed was right.

The side on the right were called NATIONALISTS and the side on the left were called REPUBLICANS

Those who were on the left were also against the power of the Catholic church. As a result, thousands of nuns and

priests were slaughtered.

Hitler sent his famous “Condor Legion.” This was a group of skilled pilots with new planes that were

skilled at dive bombing..

They bombed the city of Guernica and slaughtered the inhabitants. Women and children were killed….

A group of women and children. They were lifted high into the air, maybe 20 feet or so, and they started to break up. Legs, arms, heads, and bits and pieces flying everywhere.

Pablo Picasso, a Spanish painter, chose to use this bombing of the town as the theme for a very large painting.

The painting is almost the size of one wall of your classroom. It is done in black, grey, and white.

The images are startling. Picasso tried to be secretive about the painting’s meaning…but we have clues about why he included certain drawings.

He had made drawings earlier where he did explain their meanings…

Guernica took months to paint. It was displayed in Paris. Let’s take a look at some of the symbolism…

The Bull in the painting is a symbol of Spain. The bull “observes” the destruction in front of him.

The fallen warrior is from the legend of Parsifal—whose sword breaks in half at the crucial moment of battle.

The fallen warrior is also laid out in a crucifix position…

The slashes on the horse are representative of newsprint—the newspaper that lists those who have died.

The light in the middle of the painting may mean violence…

There are terrible images—a woman holding a dead child.

A person burning in a fire…

Some say that Picasso painting an open door so that he could “escape” from the violence.

Guernica has come to be one of the most famous paintings of our modern age--

The Spanish Civil War ended when the National troops won. Hitler and Mussolini began to work closer together as dictators.

Mussolini “allowed” Hitler to move into Austria…

Two years later, World War II began when Hitler attacked Poland.

But Spain did not join with Hitler’s Germany, even though Hitler had helped the national troops in their Spanish Civil War.

The leader of Spain, Franco, insisted that Spain remain independent and neutral…

So Spain did not go through the devastation of World War II—Franco died in 1975.

Anwhat about Guernica—well, after it was showed in Paris, it was seen in other places, then it was sent to New York City, where it remained. BUT IT WAS NOT RETURNED TO SPAIN!!

Picasso said it should only return to Spain when Franco died. When Franco died, the canvas was rolled

up and sent back to Spain.

In 1981, Guernica was finally sent back to Spain. There it can be seen today…a masterpiece of modern painting.

The image is still used today to protest war and the destruction that war brings…

Soft Construction with Boiled Beans (Premonition of Civil War) (1936) Apainting  by Spanish Surrealist Salvador Dalí.

Depicted is a grimacing dismembered figure symbolic of the Spanish state in civil war, alternately grasping upward at itself and holding itself down underfoot, a relationship morbidly prescient of Escher's laterDrawing Hands (1948). The painting resides at the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

The painting, which was painted in 1936, is used to show the struggle of war that can sometimes be both self-fulfilling and self-mutilating at the same time. Despite his support of General Franco, Dalí was openly against war, and used this painting to show it. The boiled beans may refer to the ancient Catalan offering to the gods. The little man in the bottom left corner is a representation of the astonishing, awe-inspiring spirits contained in the souls of Anneke and Nikki van Lugo, childhood friends and muses of Dalí.

Long-term causes of the Spanish civil War1. Weakness of governmentSpain was a constitutional

monarchyThe king was head of statePM commanded a majority in the

parliament(Cortes)Cortes- elected by the male

population, real power held by wealthy oligarchs

Two main parties- Conservatives and Liberals

Elections were rigged or decided by corruption

Long-term causes-role of the Spanish armyIt had a powerful political positionIt was the protector of the nationHad the right and duty to intervene

in politics if a crisis occurredIt did not intervene to save the

king< exileIts intervention in 1936 lead to civil

war

Long-term causes- role of the churchCatholic church was rich and

powerful in SpainDisputes between church and stateState guaranteed the church- role

in education and elements of the economy

It had immense wealth and used it to gain considerable political and social influence

It used its power to supportsocial, political andeconomic conservatism and opposed modernizing and liberal forces

Aristocracy closely tied to the church,made up vast majority of senior clergy and provided much of the funding

Map of Spain

It defended rights and status of the upper class which led to resentment among the poor

Urban areas- protest against the church

Economic causesPlight of agricultural workers was a key

factor leading to the discontent of the peasants

Agricultural economy but did not provide sufficient food and work was only seasonal- led to migration, poverty, gap between the rich and poor was large

Centre and south of Spain- land was owned by Grandees who dominated the political system

In the north peasants owned small lands – did not provide adequate living

Rioting and disorder brokeCivil Guards deployed to repress any

disorder.No support from churchSome groups looked to anarchists

who argued for redistribution of landCatholic Agrarian Federation provided

support for farmers in return for their rejection of socialist ideas

Anarchism is a political philosophy which considers the state undesirable, unnecessary, and harmful, and instead promotes a stateless society, or anarchy. It seeks to diminish or even abolish authority in the conduct of human relations

Industrial- need for modernisation and reform

Expansion was limited by endemic poverty

Workers faces low wages, long hours, unregulated working conditions , poor housing

Led to trade unionsionism- trade unions competed with each other

They failed to achieve anything substantial

Worker’s political parties had no real power

Thus violent uprising appealed to many

Spain was neutral in WW1A period of economic boom-

exports increaseBut also inflation and shortages, so

living standards went down- working class militancy increased

Violent conflicts between employers and employees (Catalonia)

Role of the RegionsOngoing struggle

between the centralist state and Catalonia and the Basques provinces wanted decentralization and independence as they had their own separate languages and culture, industrialized economies and churchesPrimo De Rivera took back the

self-governing rights of Catalonia

Political opposition

Moderate socialists led by Indalecio prieto

Radicals led by Largo Caballero

Anarchists were major political group –

Demanded redistribution of land, revelutionary methods, boycotted democratic process, their trade union –CNT was active in organizing strikes and protests

More extreme faction perpetrated bombings and assassinations

Fall of monarchy, establishment of the RepublicMilitary defeat in Morocco, post-

WW1 Depression led to the fall of monarchy(King Alfonso XIII)

De Rivera established an authoritarian right-wing regime.

Started various infra-structure programmes for railways, roads and electrification, irrigation schemes.

Industrial production increased the output to three times

He ended war with morocco in 1925

Failure of the Republic

Massive debtsAlienated powerful elements-

landowners and armyHe resigned in 1930Re-elections – coalition

parties(republicans, liberals, socialists and Catalans)

The wishes of the left alarmed those on the right and vice versa. Political infighting was in danger of pushing Spain into social revolution.

The middle ground in Spain’s parliament – the socialists and middle-class radicals – did try to resolve outstanding problems.

In January 1932, a number of army officers tried to overthrow the government lead by Manuel Azana, the prime minister. The attempt was unsuccessful as the army, for now, was loyal to the government – after all, it had won the elections fairly and, therefore, had legitimacy. However, a new political party was formed called the Ceda. This was a right wing party dedicated to protecting the authority of the Roman Catholic Church and landlords.

The government of Azana, having lost support from the right, also lost support from the left. Two powerful left wing political parties, the anarchists and syndicalists (powerful trade union groups), felt that Azana’s government was too middle of the road. Both wanted a more communistic state and the overthrow of capitalism. Above all, Azana was despised for forming a political union with the middle ground in Spain’s political life. He was deemed to have betrayed the working class. The extreme left organised strikes and riots in an effort to destabilise the government of Azana.

Matters came to a head when in January 1933, 25 people were killed by government troops who were attempting to catch some anarchists near Cadiz. This lost the government a great deal of support among the working class and the socialists withdrew their support from the government. Azana resigned as prime minister and elections were called for November 1933.

In this election, the right wing won a majority of support and the largest party in the parliament (known as the Cortes), was the Ceda lead by Gil Robles.

The new right wing government immediately over-turned all of the changes brought in by the Azana government. This angered many but especially the Catalans who had their privileges withdrawn. This was a serious error of judgement as the Catalans and Basques had supported the government in the elections. The way ahead for Robles became clear to many – an attack on the left wing parties of Spain.

It forced the many parties of the left to come together to form the Popular Front. They organised strikes, riots and took part in acts of violence such as derailing main line trains. In 1934 there was a general strike. Coal miners in the Asturias went on strike but were ruthlessly put down by the army lead by General Franco.

Spain appeared to be heading for all out chaos. In a last minute attempt to avoid serious trouble, a general election was called for February 1936. In this election, the Popular Front won and Azana, once again became prime minister.

However, the government of the Popular Front was a farce after the socialists withdrew their support from it; more and more public disturbances occurred and the government had clearly lost control of Spain. In July 1936, a leading right wing politician, Sotelo, was murdered and the right wing politicians and their supporters believed that they were now in serious danger. They wanted to put their faith in a military dictatorship.

The military had, in fact, already made preparations for a takeover of Spain. General Franco assumed control of the military. He took control of Spanish Morocco after overthrowing the civilian government there. His next target was to invade mainland Spain, establish a military government there and rid the country of all those involved in left wing politics. The left would have to fight for survival. The civil war started in July 1936.