2.1.2 The Situation by the End of August

• Numerical Situation:

  1. By August, 2/3 of the 80,000 militarised law enforcement agencies, such as the Civil Guard, had sided with the Republic
  2. 25,000 troops from Africa sided with the Nationalists
  3. The Republic retained control over the navy and air force
• Economic Situation:

  1. The Republic controlled five of the seven major cities
  2. The Republic had control of Spain's gold reserves
• Failure of Mola's Strategy:

  1. He failed to capture Spain in 48 hours, giving the republic time to organise
  2. General Sanjuro died on a plane crash on his way to join the Nationalist forces
  3. The Nationalist forces were geographically divided with Mola in the north and Franco in the south
• Struggles of the Republic:

  1. The government looked to start negotiations with Mola rather than striking when he was weak
  2. The government armed the people making the disorganisation worse as left-wing militias acted independently
• On the first day Franco arranged for 700 troops to get to Spain, but the Spanish navy blockaded Morocco's ports, halting the transfer of troops
• German Junkers carried around 1,500 troops to Spain in the first 2 weeks whilst Italian bombers attacked the naval blockade. In the first 2 weeks Franco sent almost 5,000 troops
• Franco had established his military base in Seville by early August