History of Spain book

• Church lacked support of working class, especially the urban working class. Instead, more popular with the conservative middle class.
• Republican Socialist coalition gained a majority in the June 1931 elections (over 70%)
• Falange was founded in 1933 by Primo de Rivera.

  • bitterly against regional separatism
  • endorsed violence
• Gil-Robles was leader of CEDA in 1934
• 1936 uprising was argued to have been due to the government losing control (though this was from both left-wing and right-violence)
• war of attrition only worked when:

  • there was enough important resources
  • foreign support
  • government could maintain and manage its economy, morale and political cohesion
• Falange leader Primo de Rivera killed in early on in war, freeing up leadership for Franco (who disliked him). However, did put large public emphasis on his funeral
• By end of July 1938, republicans had:

  • capital (Madrid)
  • most of industry
  • most of population
  • backed by navy and most of air force

  Nationalists had:

  • rural areas
  • most of army combat units
  • experiences Army of Africa
  • foreign intervention
• Germans helped to transport nearly 14,000 troops by air from Morocco (circumventing blockade by navy)
• May 1937- fighting between different republican factions in Catalonia, over stance on Anarchists
• civil war allowed Germany and Italy to test out weapons and tactics, shown in continued terror bombings (e.g. Madrid, Guernica) from 1936 to 1938. Important in destroying morale
• The day after Barcelona fell (January 1939), Britain and France recognised the Nationalist government
• memorialisation of the war was important to Franco's regime - the Valley of the Fallen was designed as a monument to the Nationalist dead
• End of civil war was named 'Day of Victory'
• Threat of the US cutting off oil supplies led to Franco cutting off supplies of tungsten to Germany
• 1938- Catalan autonomy banned, and culture removed (Catalan names and national dance)
• 1973- Blanco (supporter, prime minister and potential successor for Franco) assassinated.
• King Juan Carlos helped transition to democracy, helping encourage Francoists and the military to accept the new order (as they looked up to him, many in the army were monarchists)
• Though late Franco years saw transition to democracy, it maintained oppressive system including a violent police force