After the Spanish monarchy fell in 1931 there was a polarization of beliefs throughout Spain. War broke out in 1936. On one side were those loyal to the new Republican government, the Nationalists who promoted policies that attacked the traditional privileged structure of Spanish society. Mainly Roman Catholics, landowners, and businessmen they lead by Francisco Franco to rebel against the Republic. The Republicans, on the other side, were the ones who favored the older conservative system. They were mainly urban workers, agricultural labourers, and the majority of the educated middle class.
Germany and Italy supported the new Nationalist government and provided Francisco Franco with planes, tanks, and other materiel. The Spanish republic sought support and turned to the Soviet Union for military supplies. The resources of the two sides were unequal. The Nationalists were better organized and received extensive material aid from Germany. The Republicans received very little assistance from the Soviet Union and were divided by internal conflicts between Communists, Socialists and Anarchists. The Republican side They surrendered in 1939.
A total of 59,380 volunteers from fifty-five different countries fought in the Spanish Civil War. These volunteers were mainly from Europe, but some were from America and Canada. In September 1936 the Comintern (an international communist organization) began organising the formation of International Brigades. There was a center in Paris for recruiting people to fight along with the Republicans. Volunteers came from a variety of left-wing groups, but the brigades were always led by Communists. Many of the volunteers were trapped once they got to Spain, because their passports had been taken away. The feeling of being trapped by an organization made a few volunteers cross over to the Nationalists side. From 1936 to 1938 the brigades, despite some difficulties, operated effectively on the Republican side. When the brigades were withdrawn from Spain there was a farewell parade held for the volunteers on November 15, 1938.
The Spanish Civil War would prove to be both fierce and bloody. The toll of Nationalist violence was higher, even so the amount of executions, murders, and assassinations on both sides reflects the great passions that the Civil War unleashed. There’s an estimate of about 500,000 people killed (not including starvation, disease, or malnutrition). The outcome of the Spanish Civil War altered the balance of power in Europe. For many the other countries in outside Europe saw the Spanish Civil War as part of an international conflict. Because in the years between the two world wars there was conflict between tyranny, democracy, fascism, freedom, communism and civilization.
Germany and Italy supported the new Nationalist government and provided Francisco Franco with planes, tanks, and other materiel. The Spanish republic sought support and turned to the Soviet Union for military supplies. The resources of the two sides were unequal. The Nationalists were better organized and received extensive material aid from Germany. The Republicans received very little assistance from the Soviet Union and were divided by internal conflicts between Communists, Socialists and Anarchists. The Republican side They surrendered in 1939.
A total of 59,380 volunteers from fifty-five different countries fought in the Spanish Civil War. These volunteers were mainly from Europe, but some were from America and Canada. In September 1936 the Comintern (an international communist organization) began organising the formation of International Brigades. There was a center in Paris for recruiting people to fight along with the Republicans. Volunteers came from a variety of left-wing groups, but the brigades were always led by Communists. Many of the volunteers were trapped once they got to Spain, because their passports had been taken away. The feeling of being trapped by an organization made a few volunteers cross over to the Nationalists side. From 1936 to 1938 the brigades, despite some difficulties, operated effectively on the Republican side. When the brigades were withdrawn from Spain there was a farewell parade held for the volunteers on November 15, 1938.
The Spanish Civil War would prove to be both fierce and bloody. The toll of Nationalist violence was higher, even so the amount of executions, murders, and assassinations on both sides reflects the great passions that the Civil War unleashed. There’s an estimate of about 500,000 people killed (not including starvation, disease, or malnutrition). The outcome of the Spanish Civil War altered the balance of power in Europe. For many the other countries in outside Europe saw the Spanish Civil War as part of an international conflict. Because in the years between the two world wars there was conflict between tyranny, democracy, fascism, freedom, communism and civilization.