Transcript SPANISH CIVIL WAR - Mr. Coleman History

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
Urban workers, most landless peasants, much of
the educated middle class, all the left-wing
political groups and socialist and anarchist
Trade Unions
They were particularly strong in industrial regions
such as Asturias and Cataluña.
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The majority of Catholic clergy and practicing
Catholics (outside of the Basque region), most of the
large landowners, many businessmen, carlists,
monarchists, centralists (those opposed to regional
autonomies) and fascists
They kept the best trained part of the Army, that is,
the Army of Morocco, and many important officials.
Portugal,
Germany and
Italy helped the
Nationalists.
 The democratic
countries
decided not to
get involved
(Non
Intervention)

The Soviet Union and
Mexico helped the
Republicans
 The International
Brigades and
American Volunteers
went to Spain to
protect the Popular
Front government.
They were always led
by Communists.
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On 19th July, 1936, General Francisco Franco
assumed command of the Nationalist forces.
In 1936, October, Franco was named
Generalísimo de los Ejércitos and Head of
the State of the National area.
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The main aim of the
rebels was to occupy
Madrid. But the defence
of the city was fierce;
some Anarchist Brigades
from Cataluña and the
first volunteers of the
International Brigades
took part in it. The
Republican government
was forced to shift from
Madrid to Valencia, out
of the combat zone.

Having failed
to take the
capital,
Franco
bombarded it
from the air.
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After the failed attempt to conquer Madrid,
Franco decided to finish the Republican North
defence.
In April the German Condor Legion bombed the
town of Guernika in the Basque Country, causing
hundreds of casualties.

In the anarchistcontrolled areas,
Aragon and Catalonia,
workers and peasants
collectivized land and
industry, and set up
councils parallel to the
Republican
government. This
revolution was opposed
by both the Sovietsupported communists,
and Social Democratic
Republicans.
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As the war progressed, Anarchists and the
POUM (Partido Obrero de Unificación Marxista)
were integrated with the regular army, but in
May 1937 anarchists and communists engaged
each other in violent street battles in the city of
Barcelona.
At the end
of March,
1939, the
Nationalists
entered
Madrid.
The war
was
finished.
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Evacuation of children to Mexico, Britain, Belgium,
the Soviet Union and other European countries.
Many of those in the Soviet Union, from
Communist families, remained there and
experienced the Second World War
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Atrocities were
committed on both sides
during the war. The terror
was used against
civilians. In the case of
the Nationalist side, these
atrocities were ordered
by fascist authorities in
order to eradicate any
trace of leftism in
Spain.The most famous
victim was the poet and
dramatist Federico
García Lorca.
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Atrocities on the
Republican side
were committed by
groups of radical
leftists (not by the
government) against
the rebel supporters,
including the nobility,
former landowners,
rich farmers,
industrialists and the
Church
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After the end of the War, there were brutal reprisals
against Franco's leftist former enemies. Thousands
of Republicans were imprisoned and executed.
Many other
Republicans
fled abroad,
especially to
France and
Mexico.