How did the Spanish Civil War end? Spanish Civil War

WORLD CIVIL WARRANTY The longer the Comintern worked, the more obvious it became that there would be no World Revolution. Even with Moscow's money, it will not be possible to organize it. But experience testified: it is always possible to organize a civil war in the country. Only in 1989, the CPSU

207. I won't teach Spanish because I don't plan to live in Spain Intention: you only want to practice useful thing. Moreover… Redefinition: at first glance it is not always clear why. And yet... Separation: but a few lessons you can take. Maybe,

Under the civil war that engulfed the southern state of Europe - Spain in 1936-1939, it is customary to understand an armed conflict provoked by social, economic and political contradictions. The specified chronological period is a phase of aggravation of confrontations between supporters of the monarchy and democracy. The prerequisites began to form long before 1936, which was associated with the peculiarities of the development of Spain in the 20th century. The war officially ended in 1939, but the consequences were felt until the end of World War II, influencing the further history of the country.

Participants in the civil war

The struggle in Spain took place between several opposing forces, chief among which were:

• Representatives of the left-social forces that stood at the head of the state and advocated a republican system;
• Communists supporting the Socialist Left;
• Right-wing forces that supported the monarchy and the ruling dynasty;
• Spanish army with Francisco Franco, who sided with the monarchy;
• Franco and his supporters were supported by Germany and A. Hitler, Italy and B. Mussolini;
• The Republicans enjoyed support from the Soviet Union and the countries of the anti-fascist bloc; people from many states joined the ranks of the rebels to fight against fascism.

Stages of conflict

Scientists identify several periods in the Spanish Civil War, which differed from each other by the intensification of hostilities. Thus, three stages can be distinguished:

• Summer 1936 - Spring 1937: for initial period the confrontation moved from the territory of the colonies to the mainland of Spain. During these months, Franco received serious support from ground forces, declaring himself the leader of the rebels. He focused the attention of his supporters and rebels on the fact that he has unlimited powers and opportunities. Therefore, he easily managed to suppress the uprising in a number of cities, in particular in Barcelona and Madrid. As a result, more than half of the territory of Spain passed into the hands of the Francoists, who were strongly supported by Germany and Italy. The Popular Front at that time began to receive different types help from the United States, France, the USSR, international brigades;
• Spring 1937 to autumn 1938, which was distinguished by the intensification of hostilities in the northern regions of the country. The greatest resistance was provided by the population of the Basque country, but the German aviation was stronger. Franco requested air support from Germany, so the rebels and their positions were massively bombed german planes. At the same time, the Republicans managed to reach the Mediterranean coast in the spring of 1938, thanks to which Catalonia was cut off from the rest of Spain. But by the end of August - beginning of September there was a cardinal change in favor of Franco's supporters. The Popular Front asked for help from Stalin and the Soviet Union, whose government sent weapons to the Republicans. But it was confiscated at the border and did not get to the rebels. So Franco managed to capture most of the country and take control of the population of Spain;
• From the autumn of 1938 to the spring of 1939, the Republican forces gradually began to lose popularity among the Spaniards, who no longer believed in their victory. This belief arose after the Franco regime strengthened its position in the country as much as possible. By 1939, the Francoists captured Catalonia, which allowed their leader to establish control over all of Spain by the beginning of April of that year, proclaim an authoritarian regime and dictatorship. Despite the fact that the USSR, Great Britain and France did not like this state of affairs very much, they had to put up with it. Therefore, the British and French governments to recognize the fascist regime of Franco, which was in the hands of Germany and its allies.

Background and causes of the war: a chronology of events in the 1920s - mid-1930s.

• Spain fell into the whirlpool of complex socio-economic processes caused by the First World War. First of all, this manifested itself in permanent shift government offices. Such a leapfrog in the leadership of Spain interfered with the solution of the priority problems of the population and the country;
• In 1923, General Miguel Primo de Rivera overthrew the government, as a result of which a dictatorial regime was established. His reign lasted a long seven years, and ended in the early 1930s;
• The global economic crisis that caused the deterioration social position Spaniards, falling living standards;
• The authorities began to lose credibility, and already it could control the population, negative trends in society;
• Democracy was restored (1931, after municipal elections) and the establishment of the power of the left forces, which caused the abolition of the monarchy, the emigration of King Alphonse the Thirteenth. Spain was proclaimed a republic. But the apparent stabilization of the political situation did not contribute to long stay only political forces are in power. The majority of the population continued to live below the poverty line, so the left and right political forces made the most of socio-economic issues as a platform for coming to power. Therefore, until 1936 there was a constant alternation of right and left governments, the consequence of which was the polarization of parties in Spain;
• During 1931-1933. attempts were made to carry out a number of reforms in the country, which increased the degree of social tension and the activation of radical political forces. In particular, the government tried to pass new labor legislation, but it was never adopted due to protests and resistance from entrepreneurs. At the same time, the number of officers in the Spanish army was reduced by 40%, which turned the military against the current government. The Catholic Church went into opposition to the authorities after the secularization of society was carried out. The agrarian reform, which provided for the transfer of land to small owners, also ended in failure. This caused opposition from the latifundists, so the reform of the agricultural sector failed. All innovations were stopped when the right-wing forces won the elections in 1933. As a result, the miners in the region of Asturias revolted;
• In 1936, general elections were held, in order to win in which various political forces, forced to cooperate, united in the Popular Front coalition. It included moderate socialists, anarchists and communists. They were opposed by right-wing radicals - the Party of Catholic Orientation and the Phalanx Party. Supporters supported them catholic church, priests, monarchists, the army, the highest command of the army. The activities of the Falangists and other right-wing elements were banned from the first days of the Popular Front in power. This did not please the supporters of the right forces and the Phalanx party, which resulted in massive street clashes between the right and left blocs. The population began to fear that strikes and popular unrest would bring the Communist Party to power.

An open confrontation began after an officer who was part of the Republican Party. In response, a deputy from conservative political forces was shot dead. A few days later, the Republicans were opposed by the military in the Canaries and Morocco, which at that time were under the rule of Spain. By July 18, uprisings and rebellions had already begun in all military garrisons, which became the main driving force civil war and the Franco regime. In particular, he was supported by officers (almost 14 thousand), as well as ordinary soldiers (150 thousand people).

The main military actions of 1936-1939

The territory of the armed uprising of the military became such cities as:

• Cadiz, Cordoba, Seville (southern regions);
• Galicia;
• A huge part of Aragon and Castile;
• Northern part of Extremadura.

The authorities were concerned about this turn of events, since almost 70% of the agricultural sector of Spain and 20% of industrial resources were concentrated in the occupied territories. The rebels were led in the first months of the war by José Sanjurjo, who had returned to Spain from Portuguese exile. But in 1936, he tragically died in a plane crash, and the putschists chose a new leader. They became Generalissimo Francisco Franco, who received the title of leader (in Spanish "caudillo")

The uprising was put down in major cities, because the navy, army garrisons, and air force remained loyal to the republican government. The military advantage was precisely on the side of the Republicans, who regularly received weapons and shells from factories and factories. All specialized enterprises of the military sector and industry remained under the control of the country's leadership.

Chronology of the events of the civil war during 1936-1939. as follows:

• August 1936 - The rebels capture the city of Badajoz, which made it possible to connect by land various centers confrontation, launch an offensive in a northerly direction towards Madrid;
• By October 1936, Great Britain, the United States and France declared non-intervention in the war, and therefore banned any supply of weapons to Spain. In response, Italy and Germany began to regularly send weapons to Franco and provide other types of assistance. In particular, the Condor air legion and the volunteer corps of infantrymen were sent to the Pyrenees. Soviet Union could not maintain neutrality for a long time, so he began to support the Republicans. The government of the country received from Stalin ammunition, weapons, sent soldiers and officers - tankers, pilots, military advisers, volunteers who wanted to fight for Spain. The Communist International called for the formation of international brigades to help fight fascism. In total, seven such detachments were created, the first of which was sent to the country in October 1936. The support of the USSR and the international brigades thwarted Franco's attack on Madrid;
• February 1937 Caudillo supporters broke into Malaga, starting a rapid advance in a northerly direction. Their path passed along the Harama River, which led to the capital from the south side. The first attacks on Madrid took place in March, but the Italians who had helped Franco were defeated;
• The Francoists returned to the northern provinces, and only by the autumn of 1937 did the rebels manage to gain a foothold here completely. At the same time, the conquest sea ​​coast. Franco's army was able to break through to the sea near the city of Vinaris, as a result of which Catalonia was cut off from the rest of the country;
• March 1938 - January 1939 was the conquest of Catalonia by the Francoists. The conquest of this region was difficult and difficult, accompanied by atrocities, huge losses on both sides, the death of civilians and soldiers. huge losses on both sides, the death of civilians and soldiers. Franco established his capital in the city of Burgos, where at the end of February 1939 a dictatorial regime was proclaimed. After that, the victories and successes of Franco were forced to official level recognize the British and French governments;
• During March 1939 Madrid, Cartagena and Valencia were conquered in turn;
• On April 1 of the same year, Franco spoke on the radio, addressing the Spaniards. In his speech, he stressed that the civil war was over. A few hours later, the American government recognized the new Spanish state and Franco's regime.

Francisco Franco decided to make himself the ruler of the country for life, choosing his grandson as his successor former king Alphonse the Thirteenth Prince Juan Carlos (Bourbon dynasty). The return of the rightful monarch to the throne was to turn Spain into a monarchy and kingdom again. This is what happened after the caudillo died on November 20, 1975. Juan Carlos was crowned and began to rule the country.

Results and consequences of the civil war

Among the main results of the bloody conflict, it is worth noting:

• The hostilities provoked the death of 500 thousand people (according to other sources, the death toll reached one million people), most of of which are Republican supporters. One in five Spaniards fell from the political repressions carried out by Franco and the Republican government;
• More than 600 thousand inhabitants of the country became refugees, and 34 thousand "children of war" were taken to different countries(for example, three thousand of them ended up in the Soviet Union). Children were taken out mainly from the Basque Country, Cantabria and other regions of Spain;
• During the war, new types of weapons and weapons were tested, propaganda techniques were worked out, methods of manipulating society, which became an excellent preparation for the Second World War;
• A huge number of military and volunteers from the USSR, Italy, Germany and other states fought on the territory of the country;
• The war in Spain rallied international forces and communist parties around the world. About 60 thousand people passed through the international brigades;
• Everything settlements countries, industry, production lay in ruins;
• In Spain, the dictatorship of fascism was proclaimed, which provoked the beginning of cruel terror and repression. Therefore, prisons for Frank's opponents were opened in large numbers in the state, and a system of concentration camps was created. People were not only arrested on suspicion of opposing local authorities, but also executed without charge. 40 thousand Spaniards became victims of executions;
• The country's economy required serious reforms and an infusion of huge funds, since the money depleted not only the Spanish budget, but also the gold and foreign exchange reserves.

Historians believe that the Republicans lost the war, because. failed to resolve the contradictions between the various political forces. For example, the Popular Front was constantly "seething" from the confrontations between communists, socialists, Trotskyists, anarchists. Other reasons for the defeat of the Republican government include:

• The transition to the Franco side of the Catholic Church, which enjoyed the huge support of the Spanish society;
• Military assistance to the rebels from Italy and Germany;
• Mass cases of desertion from the republican army, which was not distinguished by discipline, the soldiers were poorly trained;
• There was no unified leadership between the fronts.

Thus, the civil war that engulfed Spain in 1936 and lasted three years was a disaster for the common population. As a result of the overthrow of the republican government, the dictatorship of Franco was established. Besides, internal conflict in Spain showed a sharp polarization of forces in the international arena.

The rebellion against the republican government began on the evening of July 17, 1936 in Spanish Morocco. Quite quickly, other Spanish colonies also came under the control of the rebels: the Canary Islands, Spanish Sahara (now Western Sahara), Spanish Guinea.

On July 18, 1936, the Ceuta radio station transmitted to Spain a conditional signal phrase for the start of a nationwide uprising: "A cloudless sky over all of Spain." And after 2 days, 35 of the 50 provinces of Spain were under the control of the rebels. Soon the war began. The Spanish nationalists (namely, this is how the rebel forces called themselves) were supported in the struggle for power by the Nazis in Germany and the Nazis in Italy. The Republican government received help from the Soviet Union, Mexico and France.

At a meeting of the generals, Francisco Franco, one of the youngest and most ambitious generals, who also distinguished himself in the war, was elected the leader of the nationalists who led the army. Franco's army freely passed through the territory home country, beating off the Republicans area by area.

By 1939, the Republic in Spain fell - a dictatorial regime was established in the country, and unlike the dictatorships of allied countries like Germany or Italy, it lasted a long time. Franco became the country's dictator for life.

Republican militia fighter Marina Ginesta. Barcelona, ​​July 21, 1936. The photo was taken 3 days after the start of the military uprising in Spanish Morocco

The women's division of the Republican militia marches through the streets of Madrid. July 1936

The surrendered Spanish rebel is led to a military court. Madrid 27 July 1936

Street fighting between the Francoist rebels and the people's militia in the area of ​​the Montagna barracks in Madrid. July 30, 1936

Barricades of dead horses. Barcelona. July 1936

Burnt cars after the defeat of the nationalist forces. Barcelona, ​​1936

One of the leaders of the anarchists Garcia Oliver goes to the front. Barcelona, ​​1936

Woman fighter of the Republican militia on the Aragonese front. 1936

Republican People's Militia. Barcelona. Sending to the front in Zaragoza, August 29, 1936

By the beginning of the war, 80% of the army was on the side of the rebels, the fight against the rebels was led by the People's Militia - the army units that remained loyal to the government and the formations created by the parties of the Popular Front, which lacked military discipline, a strict command system, and sole leadership.

Anarchist militia in Zaragoza, 1936

A Phalangist soldier throws a grenade over a barbed-wire fence at a Republican army unit in Burgos. September 12, 1936

Republican siege of the Alcazar. Toledo, September 1936

Falangist riflemen and a machine gunner in position along the rocky front of Huesca in northern Spain. December 30, 1936

Death of a Republican soldier, 1936 The picture taken by photojournalist R. Capa became the most famous shot civil war

Attack of the Republican soldiers, 1936

Aftermath of the bombing of Madrid, December 3, 1936

Volunteer women members of the Falange, December 8, 1936

Spanish Falangists carry the banners of Franco's allies: Germany, Italy, Portugal. December 8, 1936

The leader of Nazi Germany, Adolf Hitler, helping the rebels with weapons and volunteers, considered Spanish war, first of all, as a testing ground German weapons and training of young German pilots. Benito Mussolini seriously considered the idea of ​​Spain joining the Italian kingdom.

Soviet T-26 tank in service with the Republican Army, 1936

Since September 1936, the leadership of the USSR decides to provide military assistance to the Republicans. In mid-October, the first batches of I-15 fighters, ANT-40 bombers and T-26 tanks with Soviet crews arrive in Spain.

After the capture of Malaga by the nationalists. Moroccan cavalry from the rebel army, February 15, 1937

According to the nationalists, one of the reasons for the uprising was to protect the Catholic Church from the persecution of atheist Republicans. Someone sarcastically remarked that it is a little strange to see Moroccan Muslims in the defenders of the Christian faith.

Madrid being evacuated, 8 March 1937

Nationalist troops on the Madrid-Zaragoza road, near the city of Guadalajara. March 29, 1937

Barricades in Barcelona. May 1937

Republicans in the Brunete area. 1937

Francoist trenches near Barcelona. May 1937

Soldiers of the Spanish Republican Army. 1937

Republican army band drummer. 1937

Soldiers of the International Brigade of the People's Army. First half of 1937

In total, during the civil war in Spain, about 30 thousand foreigners (mostly citizens of France, Poland, Italy, Germany, and the USA) visited the ranks of the international brigades. Nearly 5,000 of them died or went missing.

Brigade named after A. Lincoln - completely formed from volunteers who arrived from the USA

A group of former Russian white officers from the Russian detachment of the army of General Franko. From left to right: V. Gurko, V. V. Boyarunas, M. A. Salnikov, A. P. Yaremchuk

One of the commanders of the Russian detachment of Franco's army, the former white general A. V. Fok, wrote: “Those of us who will fight for national Spain, against the Third International, and also, in other words, against the Bolsheviks, will thereby fulfill their duty before white Russia.

According to some reports, 74 former Russian officers fought in the ranks of the nationalists, 34 of them died.

Republican soldiers communicate with foreign journalists. E. Hemingway stands in the center with his back to the lens. 1937

Loyalist soldiers train women to shoot to defend the city of Barcelona against General Franco's nationalists. June 2, 1937

Submarine Republicans "S-4" ( Soviet-made). September 17, 1937

11th International Brigade in the battles near the city of Belchite. September 1937

Captured by the Republicans: Lieutenant Winterer (left), non-commissioned officer Günther Löning (right), Moroccan Ali-ben Taleb-ben-Yaihe in the center

At the barricades of Aragon. 1938

German bombers, part of the Condor Legion, in the skies over Spain, 1938. The black-and-white X on the tail and wings of the plane represents the cross of St. Andrew, the sign of the Nationalist Franco Air Force troops. The Condor Legion was made up of volunteers from german army and Air Force

Three hundred fascists were killed in this explosion of the five-story building of the Casa Blanca in Madrid on March 19, 1938. Government loyalists dug a tunnel 548 meters in half a year to lay mines

Farewell parade of international brigades in Barcelona. October 1938

Spanish refugees crossing the border with France. January 28, 1939

Francoists at a military parade in Barcelona. February 25, 1939

On March 28, the nationalists entered Madrid without a fight. On April 1, the regime of General Franco controlled the entire territory of Spain.

Republicans go to a French internment camp. France, March 1939

At the end of the war, over 600,000 people left Spain. During the three years of the civil war, the country lost about 450 thousand dead.

Spanish Civil War 1936-1939 something looks like the current war in Libya, the scale was only bigger. In Libya, it all started with a rebellion of separatists and Islamists in the east of the country, in Cyrenaica, in Spain - with a military rebellion in Spanish Morocco. In Spain, the rebellion was supported by the Third Reich, Italy, Portugal, and other Western powers - France, England, the USA, with their hostile neutrality. In Libya, the rebellion was also supported by most of the Western world.

There is only one important difference: no one officially supported the legitimate government of Gaddafi, except for protesting. And the Spanish government was supported by the Soviet Union.

It all started with the fact that in the parliamentary elections in Spain in February 1936, the Union of left-wing parties "People's Front" won. Manuel Azaña and Santiago Casares Quiroga became president and head of government, respectively. They made it legal for the peasants to seize land from the landowners, freed many political prisoners, and arrested several fascist leaders. Their opposition included: the Catholic Church, landowners, capitalists, fascists (in 1933, an ultra-right party, the Spanish Falange, was created in Spain). In Spanish society, a split deepened between supporters of progressive changes in society (overcoming the legacy of the Middle Ages in the form of the huge influence of the Catholic Church, monarchists and the class of landowners) and their opponents. Even in the army, a split occurred: the Republican Anti-Fascist Military Union, which supported the government, and the Spanish Military Union, which opposed the leftist government, were created. There were a number of clashes on the city streets.

As a result, military supporters of the fascist dictatorship decided to seize power in order to destroy the “Bolshevik threat”. At the head of the military conspiracy was General Emilio Mola. He was able to unite some of the military, monarchists, fascists and other enemies of the left movement. The conspirators were supported by large industrialists and landowners, they were supported by the Catholic Church.

It all started with a rebellion on July 17, 1936 in Spanish Morocco, the rebels quickly won in other colonial possessions of Spain: on canary islands, Spanish Sahara, Spanish Guinea. On July 18, General Gonzalo Queypo de Llano mutinied in Seville, fierce fighting in the city went on for a week, as a result, the military was able to drown the leftist resistance in blood. The loss of Seville, and then neighboring Cadiz, made it possible to create a bridgehead in southern Spain. On July 19, almost 80% of the army rebelled, they captured many important cities: Zaragoza, Toledo, Oviedo, Cordoba, Granada and others.

The scale of the rebellion came as a complete surprise to the government, they thought that it would be quickly suppressed. On July 19, Casares Quiroga resigned, and the head of the right-wing liberal Republican Union party, Diego Martinez Barrio, became the new head of government. Barrio tried to negotiate with the rebels on negotiations and the creation of a new coalition government, Mola rejected the offer, and his actions caused anger in the Popular Front. Barrio resigned the same day. The third prime minister of the day, the chemist José Giral, immediately ordered to start distributing to everyone who wanted to defend the legitimate government. It helped on greater territory Spain, the rebels could not win. The government was able to retain more than 70% of Spain, the rebels were defeated in Madrid and Barcelona. The legitimate government was supported by almost all the Air Force (after the victory of the Nazis, almost all pilots would be shot) and the Navy. On ships where the sailors did not know about the rebellion and carried out the orders of the rebels, having learned about the truth, they killed or arrested the officers.

This made it difficult for the rebels to move troops from Morocco. As a result, the war took on a protracted and fierce character, a quick victory did not work out, it lasted until April 1939. The war claimed almost half a million lives (5% of the population), of which one in five fell victim to their political convictions, that is, was repressed. More than 600 thousand Spaniards fled the country, in many respects the intellectual elite - the creative intelligentsia, scientists. Many major cities were destroyed.

The main reason for the defeat of the legitimate government

The world "democratic community" reacted very negatively to the victory of the left in Spain. Although these leftist parties in Spain were not all allies of Moscow, there were a lot of movements that considered the Stalinist USSR a traitor to the ideals of Lenin and Trotsky, many anarchists, Trotskyists, etc.

The legitimate government would have won if " global community simply did not fit into the internal affairs of Spain. But openly on the side of the Spanish fascists, monarchists and nationalists were three powers - fascist Italy, Nazi Germany, authoritarian Portugal. England, and under her pressure, France, remained hostilely neutral, stopping the supply of weapons to the legitimate government. On August 24, all European countries announced "non-intervention".

Portugal helped the rebels with weapons, ammunition, finances, volunteers, the Portuguese authorities were afraid that the left forces, having won in Spain, would inspire the Portuguese to change the system.

Hitler solved several problems: testing new weapons, testing military specialists in battle, "hardening" them, creating a new regime - an ally of Berlin. The Italian leader Mussolini generally dreamed of the entry of fascist Spain into a single union state under his leadership. As a result, tens of thousands of Italians and Germans, entire military units, took part in the war against the republican government. Hitler awarded 26,000 men for Spain. This is not counting assistance with weapons, ammunition, etc. The Italian Navy and Air Force participated in the battles, although officially Hitler and Mussolini supported the idea of ​​"non-intervention". Paris and London turned a blind eye to this: the fascists are better in power than the left.

Why did the USSR come to the aid of the legitimate government?

One should not think that Moscow supported the leftist government of Spain because of the desire to establish socialism and the ideals of the "world revolution" throughout the world. There were pragmatists in Moscow, and they were interested in purely rational things.

Trial new technology in battle. At least 300 I-16 fighters fought for the legitimate government. Tanks and other weapons were also supplied. In total, up to 1,000 aircraft and tanks, 1,500 guns, 20,000 machine guns, and half a million rifles were delivered.

Training of combat personnel in real combat conditions. So, Gritsevets Sergey Ivanovich was the commander of a fighter aviation squadron in the ranks of Republican Spain; became the first twice Hero of the Soviet Union. For 116 days of the "Spanish trip" participated in 57 dogfights, on some days I made 5-7 sorties. He shot down 30 enemy aircraft personally and 7 as part of a group. In Spain, our pilots, tankers, commanders and other military specialists received unique experience that helped us survive the Great Patriotic war. In total, about 3 thousand of our military specialists fought in Spain, Moscow did not cross the border, did not get involved in the war “with its head”. About 200 people died in the fighting.

Moscow thus held back the beginning of " Great War away from their borders. It was impossible to give Spain to the Nazis and the Nazis without a fight; if it were not for the long civil war that bled the country dry, it is quite possible that the Spanish fascists would have put up in 1941 to help Hitler not one division - the Blue Division, but much more.

Although, of course, we must remember that only the USSR provided purely humanitarian, friendly assistance: Soviet citizens for real imbued with the tragedy of the Spaniards. Soviet people collected money, they sent food and medicine to Spain. In 1937, the USSR accepted Spanish children, and the state built 15 orphanages for them.

Sources:
Danilov S. Yu. Civil War in Spain (1936-1939). M., 2004.
Meshcheryakov M.T. USSR and the Spanish Civil War // Patriotic. - M., 1993. - N 3.
Chronology of the Spanish Civil War: hrono.ru/sobyt/1900war/span1936.php
Hugh Thomas. Civil War in Spain. 1931-1939 M., 2003.

Spanish Civil War(Spanish Civil War) (1936-39), fierce military. confrontation between left and right forces in Spain. After the fall of Primo de Rivera (1930) and the overthrow of the monarchy (1931), Spain was split into two camps. On one side were privileged and politically influential factions such as the monarchists and the Spanish Falange, on the other - the republicans, Catalan and Basque separatists, socialists, communists and anarchists. In the elections of 1936, the left-wing pr-in the Popular Front came to power, after which a wave of strikes, riots and wars swept the country. conspiracies. In July 1936, Generals José Sanjurjo and Francisco Franco led the Spanish. Morocco failed rebellion against the republic, began civil. a war marked by brutality on both sides. In 1937, Franco-led nationalists, including Falangist, Carlist and Moroccan troops, took over the Republican-backed Basque Country in the hope of gaining full independence. The nationalists also managed to keep the important city of Teruel, repulsing the attacks of the rep. troops. This allowed Franco to help him. and ital. troops to separate the forces of the Republicans, capturing the territory. between Barcelona and Valencia (1938). Republicans, weakened int. intrigues between rival factions and the cessation of Soviet aid launched a desperate counteroffensive, but failed. Barcelona was in the hands of Franco (Jan. 1939); Madrid soon followed. Franco became head of state, and the Falange became a unity, a legal party. In G.v. Both sides received support from abroad: the Soviet Union sent advisers and weapons to the Republicans, and approx. 50 thousand soldiers from Italy and 10 thousand from Germany, predominantly. pilots and tankers. Bombing of civilians German objects. pilots and the destruction of the Basque city of Guernica (1937) became a symbol of fascist brutality and inspired Picasso to create one of his most famous paintings. In the ranks of the international brigades, volunteers from many others fought for the cause of the Republicans. countries of the world - in the main. people of the left and com. beliefs. The war cost Spain c. 700 thousand dead in battles, 30 thousand executed or killed without trial or investigation, and 15 thousand dead from air. raids.

Great Definition

Incomplete definition ↓

CIVIL WAR IN SPAIN (1936-1939)

It took place between the left-wing socialist republican government of the country, supported by the communists, and the right-monarchist forces, which raised an armed rebellion, sided with most of the Spanish army, led by General F. Franco.

The rebels were supported by Germany and Italy, and the Republicans by the Soviet Union. The rebellion began on June 17, 1936 in Spanish Morocco. On July 18, most of the garrisons on the peninsula revolted. Initially, the leader of the monarchist forces was General José Sanjurjo, but soon after the start of the rebellion, he died in a plane crash. After that, the rebels were led by the commander of the troops in Morocco, General F. Franco. In total, out of 145 thousand soldiers and officers, more than 100 thousand supported him. Despite this, the government, with the help of the army units remaining on its side and the hastily formed detachments of the people's militia, managed to suppress the rebellions in most major cities country. Only Spanish Morocco, the Balearic Islands (with the exception of the island of Menorca) and a number of provinces in the north and southwest of Spain were under the control of the Francoists.

From the very first days, the rebels received support from Italy and Germany, which began to supply Franco with weapons and ammunition. This helped the Francoists in August 1936 capture the city of Badajoz and establish a land connection between their northern and southern armies. After that, the rebel troops managed to establish control over the cities of Irun and San Sebastian and thereby make it difficult for the Republican North to communicate with France. Franco directed the main blow against the country's capital, Madrid.

At the end of October 1936, the German aviation legion "Condor" and the Italian motorized corps arrived in the country. The Soviet Union, in turn, sent significant batches of weapons and military equipment, including tanks and aircraft, to the republican government, and also sent military advisers and volunteers. By call communist parties European countries Volunteer international brigades began to form and went to Spain to help the Republicans. Total number foreign volunteers who fought on the side of the Spanish Republic, exceeded 42 thousand people. With their help, the Republican army managed in the fall of 1936 to repel the Franco attack on Madrid.

The war took on a protracted character. In February 1937, Franco's troops, with the support of the Italian expeditionary forces, captured the city of Malaga in the south of the country. At the same time, the Francoists launched an offensive on the Jarama River south of Madrid. On the east bank of the Jarama they succeeded in capturing

The fighters of the international brigade formed a bridgehead, but after fierce fighting, the Republicans pushed the enemy back to their original position. In March 1937, the rebel army attacked the Spanish capital from the north. main role the Italian Expeditionary Force played in this offensive. In the Guadalajara region, he was defeated. Soviet pilots and tank crews played a big role in this Republican victory.

After the defeat at Guadalajara, Franco shifted his main efforts to the north of the country. The Republicans, in turn, in July - September 1937 held offensive operations in the Brunete region and near Saragossa, which ended in vain. These attacks did not prevent the Francoists from completing the destruction of the enemy in the north, where on October 22 the last stronghold of the Republicans fell - the city of Gijón.

Soon the Republicans managed to achieve serious success. In December

In 1937, they launched an attack on the city of Teruel and in January 1938 captured it. However, then the Republicans transferred a significant part of the forces and means from here to the south. The Francoists took advantage of this, launched a counteroffensive and in March 1938 recaptured Teruel from the enemy. In mid-April they went to the coast mediterranean sea at Vinaris, cutting in two the territory that was under the control of the Republicans. The defeats prompted a reorganization of the republican armed forces. From mid-April, they were combined into six main armies, subordinate to the commander-in-chief, General Miah. One of these armies, the Eastern, was cut off in Catalonia from the rest of Republican Spain and acted in isolation. On May 29, 1938, another army was allocated from its composition, called the Ebro army. On July 11, the reserve army corps joined both armies. They were also given 2 tank divisions, 2 brigades anti-aircraft artillery and 4 cavalry brigades.! The Republican command was preparing a major offensive to restore the land connection of Catalonia with the rest of the country.

After the reorganization, the Popular Army of the Spanish Republic numbered 22 corps, 66 divisions and 202 brigades with a total strength of 1,250 thousand people. On the Ebro army, commanded by General H.M. Guillotte, "accounted for about 100 thousand people. The head of the republican General Staff General V. Rojo developed a plan of operation that provided for the crossing of the Ebro and the development of an offensive against the cities of Gandes; Vadderrobres and Morella. Covertly concentrating, the Ebro army on June 25, 1938 began crossing the river. Since the width of the Ebro River was from 80 to 150 m, the Francoists considered it a formidable obstacle. On the offensive sector of the republican army, they had only one infantry division.

On June 25 and 26, six republican divisions under the command of Colonel Modesto occupied a bridgehead on the right bank of the Ebro, 40 km wide along 1 front and 20 km deep. The 35th International Division under the command of General K. Sverchevsky (in Spain he was known under the pseudonym "Walter"), which was part of the XV Army Corps, captured the heights of Fatarella and the Sierra de Cabals. The Battle of the Ebro River was the last J battle of the Civil War in which the International Brigades took part. In the autumn of 1938, at the request of the republican government, they left Spain together with Soviet advisers and volunteers. The Republicans hoped that thanks to this it would be possible to obtain permission from the French authorities to allow the passage to Spain of weapons and equipment purchased by the socialist government of Juan Negrin

The 10th and 15th Army Corps of the Republicans, commanded by Generals M. Tatuegna and E. Lister, were supposed to surround the Francoist troops in the Ebro region. However, their advance was stopped with the help of reinforcements that Franco had transferred from other fronts. Due to the Republican attack on the Ebro, the Nationalists had to stop their offensive against Valencia.

The Francoists managed to stop the advance of the V Corps of the enemy at Gandesa. Franco's aviation seized air supremacy and constantly bombed and fired at the Ebro crossings. For 8 days of fighting, the republican troops lost 12 thousand killed, wounded and missing. A long battle of attrition began in the region of the republican bridgehead. Until the end of October 1938, the Francoists launched unsuccessful attacks, trying to throw the Republicans into the Ebro. Only at the beginning of November, the seventh offensive of Franco's troops ended with a breakthrough of the defense on the right bank of the Ebro.

The Republicans had to leave the bridgehead. Their defeat was predetermined by the fact that the French government closed the Franco-Spanish border and did not allow weapons for the Republican army to pass. Nevertheless, the Battle of the Ebro delayed the fall of the Spanish Republic for several months. Franco's army lost in this battle about 80 thousand people killed, wounded and missing.

During the Spanish Civil War, the Republican army lost more than 100 thousand people killed and died from wounds. The irretrievable losses of Franco's army exceeded 70 thousand people. So many soldiers National Army died of disease. It can be assumed that in the republican army, the losses from diseases were somewhat less, since it was inferior in number to the Francoist one. In addition, the losses of the international brigades in the dead exceeded 6.5 thousand people, and the losses of Soviet advisers and volunteers reached 158 people killed, died of wounds and missing. There is no reliable data on the losses of the German Condor Aviation Legion and the Italian Expeditionary Force who fought on the side of the Franco.

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