Appeasement and the Road To War

1
Appeasement and the Road To War

• The Spanish Civil War 1936-1939

2
The Origins of the Spanish Civil War

• Aims
• To understand the political instability which
  existed in Spain in the 1930s.
• To identify how the civil war began and who the
  two opposing sides were.

3
A Brief History of Spain

• During the 1500s Spain was the worlds strongest
  power.
• Spanish Empire covered most of South and Central
  America.
• Spanish language and religion was imposed on
  these colonies.
• By 1800s Spain had lost most of her colonies and
  become a third-rate power.
• Catholic Church have always had a powerful
  influence in Spanish Society.
• Between 1923-1931 Spain was a military
  dictatorship under General Primo De Rivera.

4
A Republican Government

• Spain became a republic under Manuel Azana in
  1931.
• A number of reforms were introduced which
  threatened landowners, the army and the church.

5
Spanish Fascism

• In the 1930s support for Fascist ideas was
  evident in many European countries. In 1933 the
  Falange Esapnola Spanish Fascist party was
  formed.
• It sought one party rule and wanted Spain to have
  a strong authoritarian government.
• It wasnt a racist party but believed in loyalty
  and obedience to the Catholic church.

6
War Begins

• On 17th July 1936 a group of army officers led by
  General Sanjurjo led a coup detat in Spanish
  Morocco (tried to seize power)
• Sanjurjo was killed in a plane crash and replaced
  by General Francisco Franco.
• The coup failed and three years of civil war
  followed.

7
The Opposing Sides
Righteous Republicans Liberals, Socialists,
Communists, Basque and Catalan Separatists.
Groups with differing aims but they all believe
that Spain should remain a democratic country.
Nasty Nationalists The armed forces, large
sections of the middle and upper classes, the
Catholic Church, the Falange (Spanish Fascist
Party). Groups who all feel threatened by
democracy.
v
8
The Opposing Sides

• REPUBLICANS
• Democracy
• Supported By
• Soviet Russia
• International Brigades

• NATIONALISTS
• Dictatorship
• Supported By
• Italy
• Germany

Non-Intervention Britain and France
9
Key Terms

• LEFT WING
• Democratic government
• More government control of the economy

• RIGHT WING
• Strong, authoritarian government
• Government should not interfere in the economy

Left WingRepublicans Right WingNationalists
10
Progress of the Spanish Civil War

• September 1936
• Republicans held all eastern and
• southern Spain, including the two key
• cities of Madrid and Barcelona.
• Nationalists have just over half of
• Spain, in the south, west and North
• West

11
Progress of the Spanish Civil War

• March 1937
• Nationalists capture land in the North
• but fail to capture Madrid in the
• winter of 1936-1937. During the summer
• of 1937, Guernica is heavily bombed by the
• German Condor Legion By the end of
• 1937 the fighting has reached a
• stalemate.

12
Progress of the Spanish Civil War

• July 1938
• Nationalists capture the Basque lands
• in the North. Nationalist advance in
• the east cuts off Republican controlled
• areas.

13
Progress of the Spanish Civil War

• February 1939
• Barcelona was captured by the
• Nationalists in January. Madrid fell at
• the end of March 1939 and the Civil
• War was over.

14
Foreign Intervention

• Aims
• To examine the motives behind foreign
  intervention.
• To identify what types of aid was provided for
  both sides in the SCW.

15
The Nationalists

• Italy
• 40-50,000 troops
• Tanks, artillery, aircraft
• Germany
• Junker planes airlifted Spanish troops from
  Morocco.
• Condor Legion 600 aircraft/200 tanks. Played
  major role in bombing of Guernica 1937
• 16,000 military advisers

16
Motives Behind Foreign Intervention - Nationalists

• ITALY
• Gain more influence in the Mediterranean
• Support a friendly fascist
• Military glory

17
Motives Behind Foreign Intervention - Nationalists

• GERMANY
• Testing ground for new weapons
• Keep Italy tied up in Spain turn attention to
  Austria.
• Secure supplies of war materials
• Stop spread of communism

18
The Republicans

• Soviet Union
• Military advisers
• Equipment 200 tanks, 1000 aircraft.
• Had to be paid for by the Republic.
• International Brigades
• Left wing opponents of fascism
• 40,000 in total never anymore than 15,000 at
  one time.
• Over 2000 British men joined.
• 75 casualty rate

19
Motives Behind Foreign Intervention - Republicans

• SOVIET UNION
• Not fully committed to Republicans
• Happy for Germany/Italy to be tied up in Spain.
• Did not want to threaten Franco-Soviet Pact and
  lose an ally.
• Knew GB/France would not tolerate Communist
  Government

20
Motives Behind Foreign Intervention - Republicans

• INTERNATIONAL BRIGADES
• Came from a variety of countries France, GB,
  Italy and Germany.
• Little military training or experience
• 75 casualty rates
• Socialists, TUs, Communists

21
Britain and Frances Policy of Non-Intervention.

• Aims
• Identify the reasons behind Britain and Frances
  policy of non-intervention.
• Identify the one time when this policy of
  non-intervention was not followed.

22
Strategic Importance of Spain

• If Spain fell to the Nationalists, France would
  be surrounded by Fascist states.
• British and French had naval bases both on the
  Mediterranean and Atlantic.
• Spain had natural resources e.g. iron ore
  essential for the manufacture of weapons.

23
The Non-Intervention Committee

• Set up in September 1936.
• France, Britain, Germany, Italy and Russia (27
  countries in total) agreed not to intervene in
  the Spanish civil war.
• Suits both the British and the French.
• The French want to intervene but cant. NIC will
  stop other countries.
• British dont want to intervene but cannot
  publicly go against the democratically elected
  government of Spain.

24
Why Did France Support Non-Intervention?

• The French were sympathetic to the
• Republicans however
• Political instability in France scared of a
  right wing backlash.
• Concerned that any intervention would split
  French Cabinet and bring down government.
• British made it clear they would not be happy if
  the French got involved.

25
Why Did the British Support Non-Intervention?

• Expected Franco to win.
• Didnt want to antagonise Mussolini or Hitler.
• Worried that intervention might cause a general
  European war.
• Suspicious of Communist influence in Popular
  Front Government.
• Wanted to protect British business interests.

26
The Non-Intervention Committee

• Set up a naval blockade to stop weapons getting
  into Spain.
• By 1937 mystery submarines were sinking ships
  taking supplies to the Republic.
• Conference was held at Nyon in Switzerland to
  discuss the matter.
• British and French navies ordered to destroy
  submarines or aircraft attacking non-Spanish
  ships.
• The piracy came to an abrupt end.

27
British Public Opinion

• Active participation in International Brigades to
  oppose Franco only involved a minority of
  Britons.
• Conservative dominated National Government
  advocated non-intervention and had public support
  behind them.
• Labour party was divided some supported
  neutrality, others advocated help for the
  Republicans, some supported the Nationalists due
  to religious sympathies.

28
British Public Opinion

• The bombing of Guernica in 1937 reinforced the
  belief that the bomber will always get through.
  The government was worried that if war broke out
  in Europe, British cities would face air attacks
  that would cause huge death and devastation.

29
Source C is a cartoon by David Low published on
13th January 1937.