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The Spanish Civil War ====Background====Spain was one of the bloodiest wars a very divided, unstable and weak country in the Twentieth Century in Europe19th century. The war was not simply Once a Spanish affairgreat power, but Spain lost almost the last of its colonies after it was to draw defeat in other nationsthe Spanish-American war.<ref>Vincent, Mary (2007). ''[https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0198731590/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0198731590&linkCode=as2&tag=dailyh0c-20&linkId=ffee06581c91b4c78b72eef90c3e858f Spain, including Italy1833–2002]''. Oxford, PortugalUK; New York: Oxford University Press</ref> It was technically a monarchy, Germany and but power had frequently been in the Soviet Unionhands of military dictators. The war country was a result bitterly divided. The acute poverty of the Spanish people meant that many factorswere drawn to Communism, Anarchism and Socialism. <ref>Beevor, some of which will be discussed hereAntony (2006). ''[https://www.amazon. com/gp/product/014303765X/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=014303765X&linkCode=as2&tag=dailyh0c-20&linkId=b54b43da8965b066ed125b18696e983b The Battle for Spain: The main cause of the Spanish Civil War1936–1939]''. London, was UK: Weidenfield and Nicolson</ref> These ideologies call for popular governments and the failure re-distribution of Spanish democracy. This was because there was a refusal by the Spanish parties and groups to compromise resources, such as land and respect democratic normswealth.

Spanish anarchists, socialists and communists were secular and wanted to remove the influence of the Catholic Church from Spanish society. The elite and the middle class were especially conservative. They dominated the economy and feared that the Communists would confiscate their property. This is typified in the fact that much of the best land in Spain was owned by a relatively small proportion of the population. Furthermore, the wealthy and the middle class, especially in rural society was Catholics and resisted any idea that there should be a separation of Church in State in Spain.<ref>Lannon, Frances (1987). ''[https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0198219237/ref=as_li_tl?ie=BackgroundUTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0198219237&linkCode=as2&tag=dailyh0c-20&linkId=5cd638cac74ee91552e49fa7893cba18 Privilege, Persecution, and Prophecy: The Catholic Church in Spain, 1875–1975]''. Oxford, UK: Clarendon Press</ref> The elite and the rich landowners, the ‘agrarian oligarchy’ were terrified of communism, especially after the Russian Revolution in 1917.

By 1930, Spain was a very bitterly divided, unstable on social and weak country in the 19th centuryideological lines. Once Spain was and is a great power, Spain lost almost the last of its colonies after it defeat in the Spanish-American wardiverse society.<ref>Vincent, Mary (2007). ''SpainBeevor, 1833–2002''. Oxford, UK; New York[https: Oxford University Press</ref> It was technically a monarchy, but power had frequently been in the hands of military dictators/www. The country was bitterly dividedamazon. The acute poverty of the Spanish people meant that many were drawn to Communism, Anarchism and Socialism. <com/gp/product/014303765X/ref>Beevor, Antony (2006). ''=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=014303765X&linkCode=as2&tag=dailyh0c-20&linkId=b54b43da8965b066ed125b18696e983b The Battle for Spain: The Spanish Civil War 1936–1939]''. London, UK: Weidenfield and Nicolson</ref> These ideologies call for popular governments and There are many areas of the re-distribution country with strong regional or national identities. Many of resourcesthe regions in Spain, such as the Catalans, demanded more autonomy or even outright independence from Madrid, such as land the Basques. The tensions between the regions and wealththe central government meant that the country was inherently unstable, as compromise was impossibly, between the parties.

====The Failure of Spanish anarchistsGovernment====Spain had been neutral during the First World War. However, socialists and communists were secular and wanted to remove this had not made the country peaceful or prosperous. In the wake of the influence ending of the Catholic Church from WWI, there was a major economic slump.<ref>Beevor, ''[https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/014303765X/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=014303765X&linkCode=as2&tag=dailyh0c-20&linkId=b54b43da8965b066ed125b18696e983b The Battle for Spain: The Spanish society. Civil War 1936–1939]''</ref> The elite working class and the middle class rural poor suffered greatly at this time and they began to organize themselves and they were especially conservativeoften led by Communists and Anarchists. They dominated At this time the economy Trade Unions in Spain became very strong and feared that there were widespread strikes. In the Communists would confiscate their propertycountryside impoverished peasants began to seize land. This is typified To many in the fact that much of elite it seemed as if the best land in Spain country was owned by a relatively small proportion on the brink of the populationCommunist revolution. FurthermoreMiguel Primo de Rivera, with the wealthy support of the monarchy and army launched a coup and the middle classcame to power in 1923, especially in rural society and he became dictator of Spain. He was Catholics a monarchists and resisted any idea that there should be a separation conservative and did nothing to reform the country and especially to alleviate the plight of Church in State in Spainthe poor.<ref>LannonBeevor, Frances (1987). ''Privilege, Persecution, and Prophecy: The Catholic Church in Battle for Spain, 1875–1975''. Oxford, UK: Clarendon Press</ref> The elite De Rivera soon became very unpopular and tensions in the rich landownerscountry increased and he was forced to resign. In 1931, the ‘agrarian oligarchy’ were terrified of communismThe Spanish monarch resigned. It seemed that Spain had an opportunity to begin a new era and to become a true democracy, especially after the Russian Revolution in 1917elections were held.

By 1930, Spain ====Second Republic====A new constitution was introduced in 1931 ad it was bitterly divided on social a liberal document that guaranteed human rights and ideological linesbasic freedoms. Spain was The Constitution also separated the Church and is a diverse societyState. Elections were again held in 1932.<ref>Beevor, ''Battle for Spain''</ref> There are many areas of In the country with strong regional or national identities. Many of first elections under the regions Constitution in Spain1933, such as the Catalans, demanded more autonomy or even outright independence from Madrid, such as the Basquesan alliance of right wing and center right parties came to power. The tensions between Despite the regions and the central government meant that the country establishment of democracy there was inherently unstable, as compromise was impossibly, between the partiesno stability.<ref>Paul Preston (2012). <i>[https://www.amazon. com/gp/product/0393345912/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0393345912&linkCode=as2&tag=dailyh0c-20&linkId=fc45d15b83a9c9cf0ca5218641839bc6 The Failure of Spanish Government== Holocaust: Inquisition and Extermination in Twentieth-Century Spain had been neutral during the First World War]</i>. HoweverLondon, this had not made UK: HarperCollins</ref> This was partly a result of the economic consequences caused by the country peaceful or prosperousGreat Depression. In The left, including the wake of Communists and the ending of the WWI, there was a major economic slumpTrade Unions continued to press for their agendas.<ref>Beevor, ''[http://%5Bhttps://www.amazon.com/gp/product/014303765X/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=014303765X&linkCode=as2&tag=dailyh0c-20&linkId=b54b43da8965b066ed125b18696e983b%20The%20Battle%20for%20Spain:%20The%20Spanish%20Civil%20War%201936–1939%5D Battle for Spain]''</ref> The working class They sought the nationalization of industry and the rural redistribution of land to the poor suffered greatly at this time and they began to organize themselves and they were often led . The first democratically elected government was constantly undermined by Communists General Strikes and Anarchistslocal left wing revolts. At this time the Trade Unions in Spain became very strong and In particular there were widespread strikes. In the countryside impoverished peasants began to seize land. To many was a revolt by miners in the elite it seemed as if the country Asturias, which was on suppressed by the brink of Communist revolutionarmy. Miguel Primo de Rivera, with The left could not simply abide by the support outcome of the monarchy election and army launched a coup and came to power in 1923instead of achieving their goals by constitutional means, and he became dictator of Spain. He was a monarchists and conservative and did nothing to reform the country and especially to alleviate the plight of the poorthey opted for violent methods.<ref>BeevorVincent, Mary (2007). ''Battle for Spain, 1833–2002''. Oxford, UK; New York: Oxford University Press</ref> De Rivera soon became very unpopular and tensions in the country increased and he was forced to resign. In 1931, The Spanish monarch resigned. It seemed that Spain had an opportunity to begin a new era and to become a true democracy, after elections were held.

====Countdown to Civil War====It was clear by 1936 that Spain was on the edge of a major confrontation between the left and the right and between the regions. There began a series of political assassinations. The right openly called for the military to stage a coup to oust the left wing government, which some saw as only the puppets of the Soviet Union. Much of the Spanish Army was stationed in the country’s last colonies in Morocco.<ref>Beevor, ''Battle for Spain''</ref>

It was clear by 1936 that Spain was on the edge of a major confrontation between the left and the right and between the regions. There began a series of political assassinations. The right openly called for the military to stage a coup to oust the left wing government, which some saw as only the puppets of the Soviet Union. Much of the Spanish Army was stationed in the country’s last colonies in Morocco.<ref>Beevor, ''Battle for Spain''</ref> The left-wing government believed that the military as they were was too far away from Spain. The because the government was losing control of the situation and there was fighting between the Falange militia and the police on the streets of several cities, resulting in many deaths. Then the Spanish Army Generals, led by General Franco, launched a coup, they managed to fly their forces, with the assistance of the Nazi German government to Spain. The arrival of regular Spanish units from Morocco on the Spanish mainland was the trigger for an all-out war that was to ‘leave half-a-million people dead.’<ref>Preston</ref> [[File:662px-Official_Francisco_Franco.jpg|thumbnail|General Francisco Franco in 1936]]  ==Conclusion==

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