THE SPANISH CIVIL WAR

THE SPANISH CIVIL WAR.

From the coup to the Civil War.

On 17th July 1936, and beginning in Melilla, Tetuán and Ceuta, an important group of military men started a coup d’état. The falangists and traditionalists joined them.

They controlled the institutions in some cities and established a military government in order to “ restore the order” and eliminate the government of the Frente Popular.

The legal government didn't move as fast as the situation needed and in a couple of days the rebels controlled the Canary Islands, the North of Africa ,Seville and zones in Castilla-Leon and Aragón.

The 19th the new Prime Minister Jose Giral gave weapons to the militias organized by the trade unions and the political parties in the Frente Popular.

The idea was to stop the rebels and defend the Republic and its laws.

An important group in the army remained loyal to the Republic, so the uprising was stopped in Madrid, Catalonia, Asturias, Santander, Extremadura and Andalusia.

However, Spain was divided into two halves, the Civil War was about to start.

The conflict becomes international.

 In 1936 the political situation in Europe was explosive after the arriving of the Fascism in Germany and Italy. The Spanish Civil War got an enormous international importance.

Some people considered the war as a fight between Fascism and Democracy. Even, for some authors, Spain is considered the first movement of the fight that would come later during the Second World War.

The rebels got the aid from Italy (troops), Germany. ( Air force (Legión Cóndor, artillery, tanks...) and Portugal ( Less important).

France and the UK decided not to avoid any participation in the war. They remained neutral during the war ( Non intervention).

This situation made worse the situation for the Republic: France closed its border with Spain, and Great Britain stopped all the commerce with the Republic. So the Soviet Union became the only support for the Republic, sending weapons and military assessors.

Moreover the Republic received the help from the voluntaries of the International Brigades. People from all around the world came to Spain to fight against Fascism. They had an important role during the defense of Madrid.