Spanish civil war

• Second Republic of Spain

  Period of 1931-1939
• Dictatorship


  • 1923-1929
• Second Republic began

  1931
• Problems of Second Republic

  • Regional autonomies
  • Reform of property
  • Separation of State and Church
• 1931


  Socialist republicans
• 1933


  Unión de derechas
• Feb. 1936


  Frente popular (left republicans)
• Long-term causes of Spanish Civil War

  • Political instability
  • Unestable governments
  • Tensions over regional autonomy
  • Political power of the army
  • Social problems
  • Role of the church
  • Large illiteracy
  • Marginalised groups
  • Economic inequalities
  • Inefficient agriculture
  • Late and little industrialisation
  • Poverty
  • Great gap between rich and poor
• Short-term causes of Spanish Civil War

  • Radicalization of extreme political ideologies
  • Communist and anarchist promoted revolution
  • Falangist promoted dictatorship
  • Rise of opposing political ideologies
  • Controversy about political reforms
  • Universal suffrage
  • Land reforms
  • State secularism
  • Universal education
  • Improvements in social services
  • Catalan/Basque autonomy
• Parties for political reforms

  • Republicans
  • Socialists
  • Communists
  • Anarchists (more radical)
• Parties against political reforms

  • Right-wing
  • Upper-middle class (wanted more authoritarian gov.)
• Trigger


  Coup d'état led by some military personnel
• Sides in the Spanish Civil War

  • Republicans
  • Nationals
• Republicans


  • Led by the 2nd republic gov.
  • Composed of Frente popular, anarchists, nationalists, working class
  • Supported by Soviet Union, International Brigades
• Nationals


  • Led by revolted military
  • Composed of Falange, CEDA, Carlists, upper-middle class
  • Supported by Church, Germany and Italy
• Territories before the war

  • Nationals: Rural areas of Spain, Galicia, Castilla y León, Oviedo, the isles except Menorca, Rioja and Aragón, Spanish Morocco, big cities of Andalucía, Navarre and middle-south Araba
  • Republicans: Industrial areas and big cities, the north, Catalonia and middle-south, except Sevilla, Cadiz and Córdoba, Gipuzkoa, Bizkaia and upper Araba
• The Battle of Madrid


  • August 1936 to March 1937, Mola's troops against republicans and international brigades, they couldn't conquer Madrid
• The North Front


  • April 1937 to October, Nationals (with German and Italian aircraft) against Eusko Gudarostea and republicans, Nationals tried to conquer this part of Spain after Battle of Madrid due to industries and mines
• The Battle of the Ebro


  • July to November 1938, biggest and bloodiest battle, republicans tried to unite both republican sides separated by national territory but couldn't
• The Bombing of Gernika


  • Objectives: Attack and scare civilians and Gudariak, eliminate communications, test German bombs for WWII, not to damage strategic structures or destroy Basque symbols
• End of the war, Franco declared dictatorship


  1 April 1939
• Consequences of the Spanish Civil War

  • Social: Many republicans killed or exiled, some nationals killed by radical leftists, many civilians dead
  • Economic: 10-15% of Spanish wealth destroyed, per capita income 28% lower than 1935
  • Political: Dictatorship, Republic's reforms abolished