The Spanish Civil War!

1!

Opening Battle of World War II?!

Result of internal political unrest in Spain?!

2!

•  World’s first real

confrontation with fascism

•  Terrible poverty among peasants

•  Wealthy landowners

•  Church hierarchies

Popular Front Government!n  Elected in February

of 1936!n  Coalition of socialists,

communists, and left-leaning Republicans!

n  Promised land reform!

3!

Military Rebellion! n  Conservative forces, including the military, churchmen, and capitalists feared land reform!

n  Military launched a rebellion on July 18, 1936!

n  Spanish people took up arms, initially defeated the military in key areas, including Madrid and Barcelona!

4!

Fascists, Nazis!n  Military appealed for

help from fascist regimes in Italy, Germany, and Portugal!

n  Soon began receiving men and supplies from Mussolini, Hitler, and Salazar (in Portugal)!

n  War became international symbol of struggle between fascism and democracy!

!!!

5!

Great Depression!n  During Great Depression,

worldwide sympathy for working class people—popularity of socialism, communism!

n  At same time, Fascism seems to promise order and stability in chaotic societies!

6!

World Response to Fascism in Spain!

n  Intellectuals and working-class people world-wide tended to support the Spanish government!

n  But Britain, France, and the U.S. didn’t act!n  Fears of a wider war!n  Business/corporate interests

tended to support Franco!n  Policy of appeasement in

dealings with Hitler!

7!

Non-Intervention Policy!n  France proposes a non-

intervention policy in Spain, barring all foreign aid to Spain!

n  Italy and German ignore the policy!

n  Mexico and Soviet Union begin to ship weapons to the loyalists, but not enough to balance the Fascist support!

8!

International Brigades!n  Large numbers of

international volunteers begin to arrive in early 1937 to fight fascism!n  10,000 from France!n  5,000—Germany/Austria!n  Over 3000—Italy!n  Over 1000 from each of the

following—Soviet Union, United States, United Kingdom, Poland, Yugoslavia, Hungary, Canada!

9!

American Contribution!n  2,800 Americans served

in the Abraham Lincoln Brigade!n  A third Jewish!n  Over 80 were African

American!n  Fully integrated!n  Oliver Law, commander of

Lincoln Battalion until he was killed in battle, was first African American to lead an integrated American military unit!

10!

Important Milestones!n  March 1937—

defeat of Nationalists at Guadalajara!

n  April 1937—firebombing of Guernica!

n  Summer of 1937—Franco wins major territory in the North!

11!

Civil War within the Civil War!n  Anti-Stalinist Marxist

group, the POUM, believed government was concerned only with defeating Franco rather than with widespread social change!

n  Provoked rioting in Barcelona!

n  Spanish communists crush the POUM, declare the group illegal!

12!

Crushing of the POUM!n  A defeat of the more

idealistic aspects of the Spanish Civil War? !n  George Orwell, for

instance, served with the POUM—reviled its defeat by Stalinist communists.!

n  Or necessary to provide the needed unity in order to defeat Fascism?!

13!

Beginning of the End!n  By spring of 1938,

Franco’s soldiers, supported by over 600 German and Italian planes, made major gains!

n  At end of September, British and French representatives sign the Munich Accord, ceding Czechoslovakia to Hitler !

n  Makes it clear that democracies will not stand against Fascism in Spain!

14!

War Over!

n  April 1, 1939—war officially comes to an end!

n  Franco ruled until his death in 1975!

15!