Spain at the Outbreak of War (July 1936)

• When launching the coup d'etat, General Mola had hoped for a rapid seizure of power and collapse of the Republican government. However, it failed to quickly remove those in power and developed into a civil war. The majority of major cities in Spain, such as Madrid and Barcelona, remained under Republican control and the Republicans even possessed superior manpower, with 23000 troops compared to the Nationalists' 8000 troops.
• Nationalist Support - Gil-Robles:

  He had used his position in government to prepare the military for an uprising, by beginning rearmament and purging the army of Republican officers. Although not involved in the planning of the coup, he gave the rebellion his full support, donating some of CEDA's money to the rebels and instructing his followers to support the uprising.
• Nationalist Support - Calvo Sotelo/Carlists:

  From the beginning of 1936, Calvo Sotelo had urged the army to rise up against the Republic. The Carlists had established their own militia and had organised military training in Navarre, in the hope the army would rise up. The Carlists and Calvo Sotelo were quick to support the rebellion.
• Nationalist Support - General Mola:

  General Mola was the primary leader of the coup. He drew up his initial plan for the coup in April 1936 and sought support from senior officers in May and June. His goal was to establish a military dictatorship. He hoped that within two weeks of launching the coup, he would control the whole of Spain. The new military government would enlist the support of political groups such as CEDA and the Falange, as well as the Carlist militia, and initiate the brutal suppression of unions and left wing political parties.
• Nationalist Support - General Sanjurjo:

  General Mola had planned for General Sanjurjo to become the leader of his new Spain. Even though he was exiled in Portugal, he was involved in planning the revolt and was technically the head of the conspiracy, meaning he left Mola in charge of the arrangements.
• Nationalist Support - Union Militar Espanola (UME):

  Within the army, the UME played a leading role in coordinating rebel officers in the run-up to the coup. The UME was a secretive organisation within the army, set up in 1933. Although it wasn't originally set up to organise a revolt, its members became increasingly sympathetic to the idea of a rebellion in the spring of 1936 and worked with Mola to plan the coup.
• Nationalist Support - Jose Antonio Primo de Rivera:

  As the leader of the Falange, he had very different goals to Mola as while he wanted to create a fascist regime, Mola wanted a traditional military dictatorship. Even though he didn't trust the military leaders, he agreed to give them limited support to overthrow the left wing republic.
• Nationalist Support - Franco:

  Although Franco became one of the most important leaders of the war, he was extremely hesitant in joining the rebellion. Between April and June 1936, he advised Mola that a coup was unlikely to succeed and believed a compromise could be reached between the new government and senior generals.
• Immediately after the coup, Manuel Azana attempted to negotiate with Mola to bring the conflict to an end. He offered various compromises, but Mola rejected any deal.
• Jose Giral became the new PM and adopted a different policy. He agreed to give government weapons to left wing militias. The policy of 'arming the people' broadened the conflict. It also created a situation in which the government were no longer in full control of its forces, as left wing militias tended to follow their own initiatives rather than accept orders from the government.
• In 1936, the Nationalists were not a unified movement:

  • Conservatives wanted the Nationalists to eliminate the threat of communism, ban trade unions and restore the authority of the army and church.
  • The Falange supported social revolution that would end the power of the aristocracy.
  • The Carlists supported the return of the monarchy.
  • Franco preformed a vital role in uniting the different elements of the Nationalist movement.
• The Republicans were united in their opposition to the political aims of the Nationalists. However, there were deep divisions within the movement. For example, the anarchists wanted the removal of government, whereas the Spanish Socialists and communists didn't wanted to destroy the government.
• The Republicans were also divided on other issues:

  • The PCE remained loyal to the communist leadership of the USSR and Stalin. They believed Spain was not ready for revolution.
  • The POUM opposed the PCE, identifying with the Russian communist Leon Trotsky. The POUM's leader, Andreu Nin, demanded immediate revolution before fighting the Nationalists.
  • The PSOE was also divided as some members were willing to support the Republic, whereas some were more supportive of the POUM.
• The divisions in Republican Spain made it more difficult for a clear leader of the Republicans to emerge. In September 1936, Francisco Largo Caballero of the PSOE became PM and took over the role of war minister. However, he failed to unite the different forces.
• At the end of August, after 6 weeks of fighting, the situation looked promising for the Republicans. The Nationalist forces were at a disadvantage, with their forces 1/3 smaller. Furthermore, 2/3 of the 80000 law enforcement agencies (Civil Guard, Assault Guard etc) sided with the Republicans. The Nationalists were also affected by the 25000 army of Africa soldiers struggling to reach mainland Spain. The Republicans also retained control of the majority of Spain's small navy and air force.
• The Republicans were also in a strong position with the economy. In the early stages of the war, Republicans controlled 5 of Spain's 7 biggest cities and therefore a vast majority of Spain's industry. The Republican government also had control of Spain's gold reserves and therefore the government expected to be able to trade and buy the goods it needed to keep fighting.
• Mola's strategy had also failed. He planned to conquer the majority of Spain in 48hrs and capture the cities, where he assumed he would face little resistance, within 2 weeks. By the end of August, it was clear he had failed. The lack of swift victory gave the Republicans time to organise and defend its position.
• Mola's plan faced another setback when general Sanjurjo, the man meant to lead Spain's new military government, died in a plane crash on the 20th July on his way to join the Nationalist forces.
• The Nationalist forces were also divided. Mola led an army in the north, supported by the Carlist militia. Franco's forces were in the south, unable to leave Morocco.
• There were worrying signs for the republic. The Republican's response was disorganised and the government moved slowly, seeking negotiations rather than striking Mola when he was vulnerable.
• The Republicans had also initiated a policy of arming the people. The armed LW militias acted independently of each other and of central control. Therefore, arming the people didn't create a united or effective fighting force. Some LW groups even used their weapons to terrorise the middle class or burn churches. This diverted resources and alienated middle class supporters and Catholics who may have aided the Republicans. It also weakened the government as they couldn't control the militias, meaning the Republican zone became chaotic and poorly co-ordinated.
• Franco played an important role during the 1st phase of the war. He took charge of the Spanish army in Morocco on 18th July 1936. He forces were large and well trained but they couldn't play a major role until they arrived in Spain. On the first day, he was able to arrange for 700 of his troops to get to Spain. However, the Spanish navy quickly blockaded Morocco's ports, halting the transfer of troops.
• Franco organised an air lift, although he only had a small number of planes. He approached Italian and German governments to ask for help. Mussolini sent 9 bombers and Hitler sent a squadron of transport planes. The German Junkers carried 1500 troops to Spain in the first 2 weeks. The Italian bombers attacked the naval blockade, allowing Franco to sent more troops by boat. Franco sent almost 5000 troops to Spain in the first 2 weeks.
• Franco's troops helped consolidate the Nationalist hold on southern Spain. By early August, he had established his base in Seville. In mid-August, with the help of the dictatorship in Portugal, he had also established Nationalist control over Spain's border with Portugal and sent support to the Nationalist units that were struggling to retain control of Granada. His progress was slow, but he took time to build up supply lines and establish military bases to ensure his control was secure. He also engaged in more negotiations with Hitler and Mussolini.