The Spanish Civil War Essay, Research Paper

The Spanish Civil War:

An Ignored Revolution

The Spanish Civil War is frequently ignored by many states, for the simple ground of them back uping those who would finally declare war on them. In the early 1930 s, a miniscule democracy emerged in the state of Spain. At this clip most of Europe was already a democracy, but this was Spain s foremost effort at this. Spain had ever been a monarchy since before mediaeval times. It was the last monarchy in a major European state. In 1936, the Spanish Army, stationed in Morocco under the leading of fascist General Francisco Franco, eventually rebelled against the new democracy ( Fraser 588 ) . The democracy, for a assortment of grounds, finally lost the war after three old ages of bloody combat. The chief ground that the Spanish Republic lost the civil war of 1936-1939, was because the United States, Great Britain, and France remained impersonal while Germany and Italy sent monolithic assistance to the fascist rebellion of Franco.

The United States refrained from helping the Spanish Republic for several grounds. Get downing after World War I, American foreign policy had consisted of isolationism, the authorities wanted to concentrate on domestic jobs and non tamper in the personal businesss of other states, particularly a European 1 ( Werstein 138 ) . During the mid-thirtiess, the United States was involved in the Great Depression and most Americans did non desire to acquire involved in a war. The bulk of Americans chanted the motto & # 8220 ; America First! , & # 8221 ; which echoed the policy of isolation ( Werstein 153 ) .

Many American companies owned involvements in Spain. In fact many industries in Spain were controlled by foreign investors. The largest American involvement in Spain was the Spanish national telephone service which was wholly owned by an American company ( Werstein 136 ) . If the democracy, with a strong communist influence, won the war, thought the U.S. , France, and Britain, perchance all of the foreign concerns would be nationalized. A fascist government under Franco would protect the corporations, which were so dearly valued over sense of morality. International business communities feared the chance of losing all of their investings in these Spanish industries..

When Italy, under Benito Mussolini, invaded Ethiopia in 1935, the U.S. Congress passed the Neutrality Act ( Werstein 138 ) . The Neutrality Act & # 8220 ; forbade Americans to sell or transport weaponries out of the state one time a stated of war existed elsewhere in the universe & # 8221 ; ( Werstein 138 ) . Although the Neutrality Act did non use to civil wars, the U.S. Government did nevertheless use it to the Spanish Civil War to function their ain intents.

The Neutrality Act prevented all Americans from selling any arms of war to the Spanish Republic. The Neutrality Act did non use to other stuffs such as nutrient or oil. Alternatively of directing such supplies to the democracy, monolithic measures of oil were really sent to the fascist Rebels by American oil companies such as Texas Oil Company ( Fraser 127, 278 ) . The act did non prohibit the importing of goods from states involved in a war. The United States imported four million dollars deserving of olives from patriot, or fascist, Spain, which farther financed Franco & # 8217 ; s war attempt ( Fraser 279 ) . The United States even sold weaponries to Germany and Italy, which in bend were shipped to the protagonists of Franco ( Werstein 19 ) . The capitalists and the authorities in America were more afraid of a communist return over in Spain than a fascist absolutism.

Despite the popular stance of resistance to involvement in the war, several protagonists of the Spanish Republic existed within the U.S. authorities. These included Claude Bowers, U.S. Ambassador to Spain ; Henry Morgenthau, Secretary of the Treasury ; Henry Wallace, Secretary of Agriculture ; Harold Ickes, Secretary of the Interior ; and Sumner Wells, Assistant Secretary of State ( Werstein 138 ) . The chief resistance to the war came from Cordell Hull, the Secretary of State. Hull greatly influenced President Franklin Roosevelt & # 8217 ; s determinations on foreign policy. Roosevelt frequently followed Hull & # 8217 ; s advice despite holding contrasting sentiments as was the instance with the Spanish Civil War. Roosevelt chose to stand for the sentiment of the bulk of America and stayed impersonal throughout the continuance of the war ( Werstein 139 ) .

Great Britain remained impersonal for many of the same grounds as the United States. Britain, excessively, was in the thick of an economic crisis under conservative Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin and hence most of the British people wanted to concentrate on the jobs of their ain state ( Werstein 137 ) . Several British companies owned involvements in Spain. The British Rio Tinto Company owned huge Cu sedimentations in Spain which could be jeopardized in the event of a communist coup d’etat ( Werstein 136 ) .

World War I was barely 20 old ages old and most Britishers wanted to avoid another war. To accomplish this, Britain signed the Non-Intervention Pact on August 2, 1936. Introduced by France, it was signed by the five major European Nations of Britain, France, Russia, Germany, and Italy ( Werstein 152 ) . The intent of the treaty was to incorporate the war within Spain by forbiding the member states from providing stuffs of war to either side of the struggle ( Werstein 152 ) . Since Britain was the lone state to stay by the understanding, the Non-Intervention Pact was wholly uneffective. It would finally harm the democracy drastically because Britain and France, for the most portion, followed the understanding while Germany and Italy wholly ignored it.

The chief British support for the republic came from Clement Attlee, leader and spokesman of the Labour Party ( Werstein 137 ) . He was joined by British progressives, collectivists, trade brotherhoods, and Labourites ( Werstein 137 ) . The chief resistance came from Anthony Eden, the British Foreign Minister. Backed by the British bulk, Eden wanted to make nil to upset the peace in Europe. Eden was joined by Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin. Baldwin was succeeded by Neville Chamberlain who besides prescribed to finish neutrality ( Werstein 137 ) .

Great Britain really supported the fascists in several ways. At the eruption of the war, most of Franco & # 8217 ; s military personnels were stationed in Morocco. The democracy set up a naval encirclement to forestall Franco from transporting his military personnels to the Iberian peninsula. The British greatly hindered the encirclement & # 8217 ; s effectivity by non leting republican ships to refuel in Gibralter, an island midway between Spain and Morocco ( Fraser 108 ) . Franco succeeded in transporting his full ground forces to Spain after the encirclement was broken. Britain imported several merchandises from nationalist Spain including 9.8 million dollars deserving of sherry ( Fraser 279 ) and 8.3 million dollars deserving of coal per twelvemonth ( Fraser 410 ) . Franco used such financess for the war attempt. Britain did non protest when Franco shipped big sums of British owned metal ore to Nazi Germany at unnaturally low exchange rates ( Fraser 278 ) . Germany in bend manufactured arms with the natural stuffs and shipped them to the fascists. Britain even supplied intelligence to the fascists ; an officer in the British Admiralty leaked information about ships transporting weaponries to the democracy to the Duke of Alba, Franco & # 8217 ; s unofficial agent in London ( Fraser 470 ) . Britain & # 8217 ; s concluding blow to the democracy came in February of 1939 when it officially recognized Franco & # 8217 ; s government ( Fraser 489 ) .

The neutrality of France was controlled chiefly by the unstable political relations of the state during the war. At the eruption of the war, France was governed by Premier Leon

Blum, leader of the Gallic Popular Front, a left-of-center party in control of France. Blum was faced with a serious quandary. He did non desire to estrange the British and split the Popular Front while on the other manus, he feared that Spain would go a fascist ally to Germany and Italy on France’s southern boundary line if France did non step in ( Fraser 127 ) . Blum chose to back up the democracy in the beginning by directing 70 planes, pilots, and technicians. However, on August 8, 1936, France closed its boundary line with Spain to stuffs of war and therefore deprived the Spanish Republic to its right under international jurisprudence to buy weaponries for self-defence ( Fraser 127 ) . Blum lost and regained power several times during the war. Gallic support ebbed and flowed depending on whether Blum was in power. For the most portion, France remained impersonal ( McKendrick 201 ) . France signed the Non-Intervention Pact which it broke albeit infrequently ( Werstein 152 ) . Another ground for neutrality was that the middle class capitalists feared a communist revolution. A Gallic company owned several silver mines in Spain which could be lost to communism ( Werstein 136 ) . Despite the weaponries prohibition, a drip of Gallic arms reached the democracy through states non included in the Non-Intervention Pact such as Belgium and the Netherlands ( Werstein 152 ) .

France harmed the democracy in several ways. France damaged the democracy & # 8217 ; s do the most by shuting its boundary line to all arms from any state. Russia sent the most assistance to the democracy but most of it was confiscated by the Gallic at the boundary line. Train tonss of war supplies, aeroplane parts, heavy weapon, and ammo, largely Russian, edge for the democracy, were held up at the Gallic boundary line ( Fraser 482 ) . Near the terminal of the war, France allowed several train tonss to go through through but it was excessively late. Most of the supplies were either destroyed or sent back lest they fall into enemy custodies ( Fraser 483 ) . When the fascists captured Catalonia, a northwest state of Spain, in January of 1939, 500,000 republican soldiers and civilians fled to France. The refugees were confined in concentration cantonments and were subjected to atrocious conditions ( Fraser 482 ) . France eventually recognized Franco & # 8217 ; s government in February of 1939 ( Fraser 489 ) .

Germany supported fascist Spain for several grounds. Adolf Hitler, dictator of Germany, feared the spread of communism with the statement, & # 8220 ; There is a danger of the Reds taking power in Spain. It is non my purpose to allow this go on & # 8221 ; ( Werstein 137 ) . Germany was on the threshold of get downing World War II and an ally in Spain would be really valuable to their end of universe conquering. Germany used the Spanish Civil War as a preparation land for its new arms and tactics in readying for World War II ( McKendrick 201 ) . The most ghastly illustration of Germany & # 8217 ; s usage of Spain for preparation was the bombardment of Guernica. Guernica was a little town in northern Spain with fewer than seven 1000 occupants. It served no strategic intent and was harmless to Germany. On April 26, 1937, German bombers dropped incendiary ( fire-starting ) bombs on Guernica for several hours wholly decimating the town ( McKendrick 210 ) . In 1946, Herman Goring, caput of the German Luftwaffe ( air force ) , admitted that Germany used Guernica purely for preparation intents ( McKendrick 210 ) . Artist Pablo Picasso witnessed the horrors of Guernica and recorded them in the competently named picture & # 8220 ; Guernica & # 8221 ; ( McKendrick 210 ) .

Although it signed the Non-Intervention Pact, Germany sent extended assistance to nationalist Spain. This included 100s of aeroplanes ( Werstein 164 ) , 16,000 soldiers ( Werstein 177 ) , and 570 million dollars combined with Italy ( Fraser 278 ) . Germany sent 25 Junker 52 conveyance planes to help in the Moroccan airlift of July and August of 1936 ( Fraser 108 ) . Without these planes, it would hold taken Franco nine months alternatively of two to ferry 14,000 military personnels, eleven field batteries, and five-hundred dozenss of war stuff from Africa to Spain in what was the first major airlift in history ( Fraser 108 ) . The most celebrated assistance from Germany came in the signifier of the Condor Legion. Commanded by General Hugo Von Sperrle, it consisted of 48 Heinkel 51 bombers, 48 Messerschmidt 109 combatants, an anti-aircraft battery, an anti-tank battery, and 6500 military personnels ( Werstein 164 ) . Hitler recognized Franco & # 8217 ; s government at the start of the rebellion in November of 1936 ( Fraser 270 ) .

Italy supported fascist Spain for the same grounds as Germany. Italy, a fascist province under dictator Benito Mussolini, wanted to guarantee that Spain became a fascist ally ( McKendrick 201 ) . Mussolini, like Hitler, besides feared the spread of communism. Italy, like Germany, used Spain as a preparation land for its new arms in readying for World War II.

Although it signed the Non-Intervention Pact, Italy provided monolithic support to the fascist rebellion. In 1934, Antonio Goicoechea and Pedro Sainz Rodriguez, Spanish fascist envoies, lobbied Italy for assistance in instance of a hereafter rebellion ( Fraser 127 ) . Mussolini pledged 1.5 million pesetas, two-hundred machine guns, and 20,000 grenades of Italian support in the event of a fascist rebellion ( Werstein 74 ) . When war broke out in 1936, Mussolini delivered the promised goods and much more. Italy provided 100s of planes including Fiat combatants ( Tinker Jr. 944 ) , armored combat vehicles, 50,000 military personnels ( Werstein 177 ) , and 570 million dollars combined with Germany ( Fraser 279 ) . Italy recognized Franco & # 8217 ; s government at the upstart of the rebellion in November of 1936 ( Fraser 270 ) .

The effects of the neutrality of the United States, Britain, and France combined with the fascist support of Germany and Italy proved black to the Spanish Republic. & # 8220 ; And for all their spirit, for all their bravery, it was foreign aid that decided the result. That supplied by Germany and Italy was more powerful, and the patriots consequently won the war & # 8230 ; & # 8221 ; ( McKendrick 201 ) . The Non-Intervention Committee was a fake, & # 8220 ; Not a adult male on the commission was incognizant that Germany, Italy and, subsequently, the Soviet Union were systematically go againsting the understanding. Since Nazi and Fascist parts to the Rebels outweighed those of the Soviet Union to the Loyalists, the Nonintervention Committee succeeded merely in guaranting the decease of the Spanish Republic & # 8221 ; ( Werstein 154 ) . Republican soldier Timoteo Ruiz, after traversing the boundary line into France and witnessing the train tonss of held up supplies, commented, & # 8220 ; If we had realized from the start that we were alone-even opposed to the businessperson democracies which were boycotting us- it would hold become a popular, radical war & # 8230 ; & # 8221 ; ( Fraser 328 ) .

In a three twelvemonth epic struggle that cost over one million lives, the Spanish Republic lost the Civil War and Spain was deprived of freedom for several decennaries afterwards. It is hard to foretell what might hold happened had the republic won the war but it is likely that Spain would hold become a much more advanced civilisation alternatively of being one of Europe & # 8217 ; s poorest states today. The cost of the loss to the United States, Great Britain, and France was non great but the cost to the Spanish people was elephantine.

Plants Cited

Fraser, Ronald. Blood of Spain: An Oral History of the Spanish Civil War. New York: Pantheon, 1979.

McKendrick, Melveena. The Horizon Concise History of Spain. New York: American Heritage, 1972.

Tinker, Jr. , F. G. & # 8220 ; The Italian Debacle at Guadalajara. & # 8221 ; Men at War. Ed. Ernest Hemingway. New York: Bramhall House, 1979.

Werstein, Irving. The Barbarous Old ages: the Story of the Spanish Civil War. New York: Julian Messner, 1969.