"In every civil war, hatred is the real survivor. Stifled behind closed doors, it is hidden in the faces of neighbors who avert their eyes on the village streets. The poison trickles down the years. Thus it was with Spain." - Frank Finlay
On this day 74 years ago, Nationalist forces under General Francisco Franco captured their last military objective: the port city of Cartagena. The Spanish Civil War, which began in 1936, had finally come to an end.
The war resulted from hundreds of years of hatred for a system in which wealthy landowners had most of the power, a system supported by an oligarchy of both the crown and the clergy. The Bourbons had been ousted in 1868, but the First Spanish Republic only lasted until 1874, when the monarchy again returned.
By the 20th century, Spain was one of the weakest monarchies in Europe. Her empire extinguished long ago by various wars, she now faced the threat of labor unions, intellectuals, and new ways of thinking. In particular, anarchism was the most popular movement among the working class, more so than anywhere else in Europe. The complete story of the background to this war could fill volumes.
Through elections, compromise, and other devices, the ruling class failed to hold power. King Alfonso XIII abdicated, hoping to prevent violence. The Second Spanish Republic was declared in 1931. Like South Vietnam twenty years later, the new government was unable to gain popular support. One party after another seized control, all the while economic conditions continued to worsen. A cadre of generals decided to end the madness. Francisco Franco was one of them. He had been suspected of disloyalty and was sacked from his position as Chief of Staff, transferred to the Canary Islands.
On July 17, 1936, the coup was launched. Unfortunately, the Republic didn't lose control of the countryside. What was intended to be a swift rebellion rapidly lost momentum, and the civil war began.
Franco himself had been placed in command of 30,000 elite Moroccan troops, but they wouldn't be in action until mid-August. Franco had to cross the Straight of Gibraltar, which he did using a small fleet of 22 Junker JU 25 planes on loan from Adolf Hitler. He would be the most successful general on either side.
The Spanish Civil War had two main factions: Republicans and Nationalists. Within each movement were nearly half a dozen sub-movements with their own goals in belief systems. The Republic included socialists, communists, workers, trade unions, and fighters from Basque and other regions who wanted autonomy. The Nationalist banner had monarchists, fascists, and right-wing radicals.
The Republic was supported by the Soviet Union. The Nationalists, by Italy and Germany. The war became a testing ground for ideas, along with the new planes, tanks, rifles, tactics, and other weapons of the emerging superpowers. Stalin cut aid in 1938 when he signed the non-aggression pact with Hitler.
As early as 1937, the Republican movement began to fracture, suffering multiple counter-revolutions in numerous cities. Fundamental disagreements would ultimately lead to the government's collapse. Franco became the undisputed leader of the Nationalist movement, declaring himself head of state before the war's end. In every city he captured, hundreds were shot as part of a wide-scale purge.
Up to half a million soldiers died in the war. Nearly as many civilians fled the country.
When Franco seized power, as many as 28,000 people were immediately interned, most would be executed. When the Republic's former leaders died, those who attempted to show their support in public were shot dead, showing a level of brutality without trial that even the Inquisition didn't attempt.
Franco declared Spain a monarchy in 1947, but Franco ran the show as Prime Minister. A king was declared in 1968, but not to assume office until Franco's death in 1975. He would be the last of the fascist dictators to rule in Europe, surviving Hitler and Mussolini.
Today, there have been many calls for the proclamation of a Third Spanish Republic.
Polls show that only 25% of the people support this movement.
