Spanish Civil War

1. Spanish Civil War Causes and a Cause

2. Introduction • Spanish Civil War • Broke out in 1936 • More than a century of social, economic and political • Half a million died

3. Long-Term Causes

4. Weakness of Government • Political instability • 19th century, Spain struggled between periods of conservatism and liberalism • Several factors that caused tension and division • Weakness of government • 1871, Spain became a constitutional monarchy • King Amadeo became head of state and he appointed a Prime Minister who should have commanded the majority of parliament (Cortes) • Real power held by wealthy oligarchs, control shifted between cliques • Two main parties, Conservatives and Liberals, no real difference • Elections rigged

5. Role of Spanish Army • Army had a powerful position in Spain due to its imperial past • Believed that was the protector of the nation • Right and duty to intervene, did so in 1829, 1871, 1923 • Did not act to save King Alfonso in 1931, led to his exile • Did intervene during Second Republic and in 1936 • Unpopular with the people • Reputation for brutality, expensive • Had lost Empire in 19th century, to American in 1898, struggled to keep Morocco 1906-26 • In need of reform • Too big, too many officers • Upper and middle classes make up the officer corps • Generally conservative • ‘Africanistas’ had experienced war in Morocco, the hard-liners

7. Role of Church • Catholic Church rich and powerful in Spain • Disputes between them and state in 1800s • State guaranteed role in education and economy, church used its wealth for influence • Supported conservative policies • Aristocracy tied closely to the church • Defended rights of upper classes, led to resentment

8. Economic Causes • Plight of agricultural workers was a key factor, focus of the economy, source of employment • Did not provide sufficient food and work was seasonal • Need for workers to migrate • Most in poverty, wide gap • Central and South, land owned in huge estates, by ‘Grandees’ who dominated the political system • North, peasants owned small plots of land, too poor

9. Economic Causes • Rioting in the countryside • Civil Guard deployed to repress • No support from the church, some looked to anarchists who sought redistribution of land • Catholics resistant to socialist ideas • Catholic Agrarian Federation formed to support farmers and reject socialism • Would later support Franco

10. Economic Causes • Industrially a need for reform • Had been little growth in the 19th century • Expansion limited by poverty • Workers poor conditions • Growth of trade unionism • Competed with one another though, failed to achieve anything substantial • Employers could always find alternative labor • Workers’ parties had no power, no legal means • Spain’s neutrality in WWI had caused a boom • Increase in exports meant inflation and shortages • Militancy increased • Early 1920s major economic problems, led to violent conflict in industrial cities in Catalonia

11. Role of Regions • Catalonia and Basque provinces seeking independence • Had own cultures and economies • Primo de Rivera, Prime Minister in 1923, ruled Spain as a dictator until 1930 • Took back Catalonia’s self-governing rights • Separatists supported Republican movement that overthrew Alfonso in 1931

12. Political Opposition • Number of groups opposed to status quo • Liberal groups achieved nothing, remained a political force • Spanish Socialist Party had grown, UGT more visible • Small Communist Party after Russian Revolution • All divided over which reforms should take place • Moderate Socialists IndalecioPrieto • Radicals Largo Caballero • Anarchists also a major force • Popular with the peasants • Boycotted democracy, active with CNT • Responsible for some bombings

13. Fall of the Monarchy and Establishment of the Second Republic • King Alfonso was not a modernizer • Pressure on him after defeats and ineffective government • Did not resist coup of General Primo de Rivera in 1923 • Primo de Rivera • Tried to establish right-wing regime similar to Italy • Infrastructure and Industry advances • Ran up massive debts, worse when Depression hit • Alienated landowners and army • Resigned in 1930, did not bring about stability • Elections in 1930 then showed support for republicans, liberals, socialists and Catholics • King went into voluntary exile • Neither Church or army stepped in • Second Republic established 1931

14. Short-Term Causes

15. Political Polarization • Between 1931 and 1936, major gap in ideology • Did not anticipate war in 1931 • By 1936, it will be desireable

16. The Left Republic • Following departure, center-left wanted to modernize • Government declared a new constitution, stating Spain was a democratic republic of workers • Manuel Azana became President • Key issues continued • Addressed church’s power • Anticlerical, tried to separate church and state • No longer in control of education, state payment of clergy stopped, power of the army attacked • Made it only more nationalist really

17. The Left Republic • Desperate economic problems existed in Spain exacerbated by the Depression • Agricultural prices tumbling, exports fell, unemployment rising • Industrial output fell • Largo Caballero, Minister of Labourintiated an extensive land redistribution program with compensation • 1932, land law, right saw as a major threat • Civil unrest and violence continued • Dealt with brutally, introduced Assault Guard • Risings by both sides • General Jose Sanjurjo from right • Casas Viejos anarchist uprising from left • Army remained mostly loyal

18. The Left Republic • Catalonia given its own parliament, some powers over law and education • Right-wing groups angered by this move towards independence and break-up of Spain • New right-wing party, Confederacion Espanola de DerechasAutonamas, formed to defend the church and landlords • CEDA led by Jose Maria Gil-Robles modelled on German Nazi Party • Political divisions definitely increased • Azana also attacked anarchists, lost him some working class support, resigned in 1933

19. The Right Republic • Elections of 1933, Republic swung right • Disunity on the left • CEDA largest party, Gil-Robles made War Minister • New government ruled for two years • Known as black years, systematically reversed Left Republic’s reforms • Church and land restored • Catalonia suppressed by troops • Threat of general strike • The right lost support of the Basques

20. The Right Republic • Political response to Right Republic divided • CEDA labeled Spanish Nazi party, some thought they should seek Soviet-style solution • Right demanded a shift to more authoritarian approach • Led to more cooperation on the Left

21. The Popular Front • Right wing disintegrated as economic and political situation deteriorated • Election of 1936, Popular Front, anti-fascist pact of left-wing groups including socialists and communists, victorious • Some associated it with democracy, some with Stalin • Manifesto promoted by Azana who now returned, liberal, not radical • Wanted to restore reforms of 31-33 • Still no political census • Anarchists encouraged peasants to seize land, recruited militias • Conflict with fascists, government faced increasing disorder • General strike in May • Right wing thought they were in left revolution

22. Immediate Causes

23. 1936 • Victory of the left in 1936 elections threw CEDA into turmoil • Used funds to support military plans for a coup • Began planning immediately • Nationalist junior officers joined with senior Africanista officers, including Franco • Coup began after murder of popular CEDA leader on July 13 • Azana attempted to prevent coup by moving key military figures to remote posts • Conspirators made contact with two groups, Falange (authoritarian radicals) and Carlists (monarchists) • Fascists versus communists • Coup began on July 17 from Morocco, took northern Spain • Half of the army remained Republican, coup actually unsuccessful without foreign intervention