The Spanish Civil War

Spanish Civil War

• The Nationalist side was supported by fascist Italy and Nazi Germany.
• Portugal, a fascist state, also supported the Nationalist forces.

Control of Cities

• Madrid remained under the control of the government during the Spanish Civil War.

International Recognition

• The Francoist regime was recognized by France and the United Kingdom in 1939.

Republicans and Nationalists

• Republicans fought to defend the democratically elected government of the Second Spanish Republic.
• Nationalists, led by General Francisco Franco, fought to overthrow the government and establish a fascist dictatorship.

Perspectives on the Spanish Civil War

• The Spanish Civil War was seen as a struggle between democracy and fascism, with the Republicans representing democracy and the Nationalists representing fascism.
• The war was also seen as a class struggle, with the working class and peasants supporting the Republicans and the landowners and aristocracy supporting the Nationalists.
• Additionally, the war was viewed as a struggle for regional autonomy, particularly in Catalonia and the Basque Country.

Carlist Movement

• The Carlist movement fought in the First Carlist War (1833-1840), the Second Carlist War (1846-1849), and the Third Carlist War (1872-1876) to institute a monarchial dynasty under a different branch of the House of Bourbon.

Liberal Movement

• The liberal movement within the middle classes and the military was led by General Juan Prim, who was concerned about the ultra-conservatism of the monarchy.

Republicanism in Catalonia

• Francesc Macià, a Catalan politician, helped to bring republicanism to the fore in Catalonia, a region of Spain with its own cultural and societal identity.

Anti-Conscription Event

• The Tragic Week in 1909 demonstrated the resentment and resistance towards conscription in Spain.