Spanish Civil War

The Spanish Civil War (Guerra Civil Española) was a civil war in Spain from 1936 to 1939 between left-wing (Republican) and right-wing (Nationalist) forces. It led to a total of about 450,000 deaths.

Background

In 1931, the Spanish monarchy was overthrown. In the 1936 election, all the left-wing parties united under the Popular Front and the right-wing parties united in the National Front. The Popular Front won by a small margin. The conservatives accused the government of electoral fraud. On 17 July 1936, a right-wing mutiny began in Spanish Morocco. On 19 July, it spread to mainland Spain. This was the beginning of the Spanish Civil War.

War

In fall of 1936, the Nationalists marched towards Madrid under Francisco Franco and Emilio Mola. The Republicans successfully defended Madrid with the support of Soviet tanks and aircraft. During the winter of 1936–37, two Nationalist attacks on Madrid were repelled and mines in the South were kept under Republican control. Franco's forces soon recovered and occupied Basque Country. The Republicans attempted to turn the tide of the war in the failed Teruel operation. In 1937, Prime Minister Largo Caballero resigned and was replaced by Juan Negrin, who was more friendly to the USSR. In 1938, the Nationalists tried to take Valencia and Barcelona in the East. They failed, but it severely weakened the Republicans. At the Battle of Barcelona, the Nationalists were better equipped because France had blocked a Soviet shipment to the Republicans in an attempt to avoid international conflict. On 26 January, 1939, the Nationalists took Barcelona and on 28 March, they took Madrid without much resistance, resulting in Spain being put under the rule of Franco's Dictatorship until the 1970's.