What Began As a Minor Civil Struggle in Spain, Not Much Unlike Many Wars That Had Preceded

Ryan Lentini

Mr. Briski

Period 7/8

06/06/08

It was a Small World After All:

The Spanish Civil War as a Microcosm for the rest of the Twentieth Century

What began as a minor civil struggle in Spain, not much unlike many wars that had preceded it in other European nations to determine national order, the Spanish Civil war became exceptionally historically important for both its timing leading up to the second World War, and its unique harboring of many experimental and violently explosive political ideologies all vying for power and control of the blank slate that Spain had become. The Spanish civil war distinguishes itself in the expansive vista of 20th century history as both an accurately poignant synecdoche of the violent maelstrom of radical and newly realized political principles of Post-Great War, as well as, a significantly important microcosm for the ideological struggles and battle lines that would come to define later 20th century from World War II to the Cold War. The struggle in Spain that would come to involve representatives from all the major players of World War II and beyond, as well as, a further step into realizing Stalin’s Socialism in One country plan would serve as foreshadow of things to come and illustrate the violently festering struggles between ideologies that would see the eruption of modern warfare and political conflicts.

The Civil War in Spain manifested as a result of several factors that were a result of a deteriorating Monarchy that had ruled for a few centuries which lead to their loosing touch with the people and leading to the installation of an unpopular and all around unsupported replacement government that lead to a political vacuum within the country as new Fascist and Communist elements within the country struggled for power and organization for control of the country. The large working class populace of the country led a successful leftist overtaking of the country and the installation of a Republic, which was in a very raw form but had hints of both anarchist and communist ideologies and became known immediately after the revolution (Hilton). But the Republic was opposed by the Falangists, who successfully usurped control of the nation in a coup lead by Francisco Franco and an army from the Moroccan Corps of the Spanish Army, with whom reactionary ideals had been brewing for some time. From this the bloody civil war erupted between the leftist Republican forces and the far right Falangists, who allied themselves with the church and landowners of the country and effectively used a propaganda initiative to galvanize support for them.

The political factions that developed from the fractious beginnings of the civil war were indicative of the power struggle for new ideas such as Fascism and Socialism to take political power and help influence their own spreading. This opportunity for ideological gospel and propaganda lead to a world-wide interest in the conflict as each Europe’s major powers, and even the United States exercised their influence on the conflict, further heightening the political stakes and ramifications of the war (Gruss). The war would mark the first major military alliance of the two most prominent Fascist states in Europe, Germany and Italy, as both sent troops, weapons, and military tactics to the Fascist forces in Spain which also allowed them testing for the World War they both foresaw approaching. The violence of total war that the Fascists would lead later was first revealed during the Civil War, as depicted in Pablo Picasso’s Guernica as the horror of a bombing carried out by Franco on his own people is displayed through a disconnection of the human figure, in this way it is evident that the Spanish Civil War was setting a precedent for the modern world of militarism and totalitarianism.

At the other end of the ideological spectrum, the Spanish Civil War would come to be a microcosm of the tribulations and demoralizing defeats that would the leftist cause in the rest of the twentieth century. The Republican supporters were politically varying in the war, but the majorities were communist and anarchist influenced. The Soviet Union would come to view the war as a stage in which to end their long practiced “Socialism in one country” method, as well as, combat the militaristic advances of the Fascist governments of Mussolini and Hitler. The loss to Franco’s factions would end the hope of a European wide Marxist revolution and the idea of communist allies on polar ends of the continent. The defeat would also signal disillusionment in the Soviet cause and loyalty to the original Marxist ideal. The brutality they displayed, along with the increasingly authoritarian parallel to those of Hitler, his worst enemy, lead to even the most loyal and hopeful of socialists, to become disenchanted with the Soviet way (Orwell). The Republican loss would also signal an increase the tension between radical elements in the democratic countries and their Governments, whose neutrality in the dispute was often labeled as fascism. Also to add to this, many citizens of the West would receive federal punishment for treason and dissent of the government (Pro-Fascist Neutrality). This type of tension would later be seen later in the twentieth century with such movements as the student riots of 1968 in France, in which youth radical movement protests quickly escalated into violence and political upheaval.

The Spanish Civil war would mark a significant presage for the tensions and struggles of the rest of the Twentieth Century. The long and tense Cold War, violent mixing of experimental politics, ideological battles, and the long destructive Second World War were such events foretold in the hardly fought war that was the Spanish Civil war.

Works Consulted

Beevor, Antony. The Battle For Spain. 1982. New York: Penguin Books, 2006.

Hilton, Ronald. Spain, 1931-36, From Monarchy to Civil War, An Eyewitness Account.

5 June 2008

<http://http://historicaltextarchive.com/books.php?op=viewbook&bookid=11>.

Orwell, George. Animal Farm. 1946. USA: Harcourt Brace, 2003.

Orwell, George. Homage to Catalonia. N.p.: Harcourt, Inc, 1952.

Picasso, Pablo. Guernica. Oil on canvas. 1937. Museo Reina Sofia, Madrid.

"Pro-Fascist Neutrality." The Nation 9 Jan. 1937: 33-34.

http://newdeal.feri.org/nation/na37144p033.htm

Spanish Civil War Propaganda : P.S.U. - U.G.T. parties - 1936. Postcards. 1936.

Gruss Postcards. 5 June 2008

<http://www.espol.com/sections/World/thematics/spanish-propaganda.htm>.