Spanish Civil War

The Spanish Civil War is sometimes forgotten because it was so close to W.W.II and is usually overshadowed by W.W.II's events. However, the Spanish Civil War might be declared the beginning of W.W.II in that it prepared Germany and many other countries for the great war that was soon to follow.

On July 18, 1936, a military revolt against the Popular Front government began in Morocco and soon spread to army towns in the peninsula. The revolt was led by General Francisco Franco, under whose direction the rebellion developed into civil war. Soon after the rebellion began foreign powers started to intervene. Most prominent of these foreign states were Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy, both of which sent troops, munitions, and airplanes, partly to support the rebel forces and partly to test their equipment and tactics in combat; and the Soviet Union, which furnished military equipment and advisers to the Spanish government and wielded great influence on the direction of the war. On October 1, 1936, Franco was declared chief of the Spanish state by the insurgents, and Germany and Italy withdrew their recognition of the legitimate Spanish government and soon afterward recognized Franco. The Loyalist forces of supporters of the government recruited from many countries, including the United States, Great Britain, and Canada. Opposed to the Loyalists, at best a hastily organized militia composed primarily of labor groups and partly under the direction of Soviet-oriented Communists, was the regular Spanish army, reinforced by German and Italian men and supplies.

Early in the campaign the Franco forces reached the outskirts of the capital, Madrid, and the government was removed to Valencia. At Madrid the battle became a deadlock that endured until the end of the civil war. In other sectors the forces of Franco were more successful, and northwestern Span was completely occupied by the insurgents by the middle of 1937. Marching in a northerly direction the rebel army forced the Loyalists into a triangle from Madrid to Valencia to Catalonia. Barcelona and Madrid became the primary objectives of the rebel armies. To ground attacks were added severe air raids by rebel planes. Despite protests by foreign powers and the Vatican, nonmilitary points were bombed and hundreds of civilians killed.

A counteroffensive was begun by the Loyalists on December 5, 1937, and government forces attacked and captured the insurgent stronghold of Teruel on December 19. Franco's troops recaptured Teruel on February 15, 1938, and advanced to the Gulf of Valencia by April 15. To avert an insurgent drive toward Valencia, the Loyalists attacked the Franco army from the rear. This counteroffensive stopped the insurgents for several months, but the weakened Loyalist forces were unable to capitalize on their success. When the insurgents resumed their offensive in December, the Loyalist army retreated toward Barcelona, which fell on January 26, 1939. Four rebel columns converged on Madrid, where a so-called fifth column inside the city prepared to rise against its defenders. The city fell to Franco on March 28. The Loyalist government, split by dissension, had meanwhile fled from Spain. By this time the Franco government, already organized, had taken over direction of Spanish affairs and the country.