Spanish Civil War: Difference between revisions
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The Spanish Civil War was fought from 1936-1939 by Spaniards, against Spaniards with foreign powers directly assisting both sides. Though it is known as 'The' Spanish Civil War, it was but the last and bloodiest of <s>3</s> 4 Civil Wars that Spain had fought in since [[Napoleon Bonaparte]] was ejected from Spain in 1812. |
The Spanish Civil War was fought from 1936-1939 by Spaniards, against Spaniards with foreign powers directly assisting both sides. Though it is known as 'The' Spanish Civil War, it was but the last and bloodiest of <s>3</s> 4 Civil Wars that Spain had fought in since [[Napoleon Bonaparte]] was ejected from Spain in 1812. |
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The war first got going when the left-wing Republicans post-victory election celebrations got out of hand, with Republican supporters attacking members of the bourgeoisie in an escalation of the simmering ideological conflict that had been threatening to destabilise the social order in Spain for decades. A previously planned coup d'etat by the Spanish Army Generals Jose Sanjurjo and Emilio Mola was put into play against the Second Spanish Republic (which was only established just 5 years prior). Caught between a military revolt and a revolution of socialists and anarchists at the same time, the Republican government decided to throw its support behind the revolution. The army coup, which became the Nationalists, seized the northwestern, north, and a section of the southwest parts of Spain. The Republicans controlled most of the East coast as well as the capital Madrid in the center. This led to a conflict between the Nationalists and the Republicans fighting over the right to rule Spain. Short story: the Nationalists under Francisco Franco won and he ruled Spain as a dictatorship until his death in 1975. |
The war first got going when the left-wing Republicans post-victory election celebrations got out of hand, with Republican supporters attacking members of the bourgeoisie in an escalation of the simmering ideological conflict that had been threatening to destabilise the social order in Spain for decades. A previously planned coup d'etat by the Spanish Army Generals Jose Sanjurjo and Emilio Mola was put into play against the Second Spanish Republic (which was only established just 5 years prior). Caught between a military revolt and a revolution of socialists and anarchists at the same time, the Republican government decided to throw its support behind the revolution. The army coup, which became the Nationalists, seized the northwestern, north, and a section of the southwest parts of Spain. The Republicans controlled most of the East coast as well as the capital Madrid in the center. This led to a conflict between the Nationalists and the Republicans fighting over the right to rule Spain. Short story: the Nationalists under Francisco Franco won and he ruled Spain as a dictatorship until his death in 1975. |
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In the end, the Nationalists defeated the Republicans and managed to gain control and establish Franco as a dictator, ruling over Spain for a little over 35 years. Interestingly enough Franco would extend his protection over Jews, in particular Sephardic Jews and refuse to fight democracies though he supported the Axis against the communists with the Blue Division in return for the past favors. Neutral for most of the time, Franco's Spain would change its official policy from neutrality to non-belligerent support of the Axis when France fell in 1940, then back to neutrality in 1943. This may in fact stem from the fact that Franco was not, in spite of his ties to the Nazis and Italian Fascists, a genuine fascist and his ideology, while undoubtedly authoritarian, differed greatly from either Hitler or Mussolini's policies, having more in common with military juntas in South America than Central European fascism. As a result, while the war was construed as a fight between democracy/communism vs. fascism/monarchism, Spain ended up choosing neither side. |
In the end, the Nationalists defeated the Republicans and managed to gain control and establish Franco as a dictator, ruling over Spain for a little over 35 years. Interestingly enough Franco would extend his protection over Jews, in particular Sephardic Jews and refuse to fight democracies though he supported the Axis against the communists with the Blue Division in return for the past favors. Neutral for most of the time, Franco's Spain would change its official policy from neutrality to non-belligerent support of the Axis when France fell in 1940, then back to neutrality in 1943. This may in fact stem from the fact that Franco was not, in spite of his ties to the Nazis and Italian Fascists, a genuine fascist and his ideology, while undoubtedly authoritarian, differed greatly from either Hitler or Mussolini's policies, having more in common with military juntas in South America than Central European fascism. As a result, while the war was construed as a fight between democracy/communism vs. fascism/monarchism, Spain ended up choosing neither side. |
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Another notable fact of the war was the Bombing of Guernica, being the first widely known example of the carpet bombing of a civilian target (and the inspiration for [[Pablo Picasso]]'s heart-wrenching and monumental mural ''Guernica''). |
Another notable fact of the war was the Bombing of Guernica, being the first widely known example of the carpet bombing of a civilian target (and the inspiration for [[Pablo Picasso]]'s heart-wrenching and monumental mural ''Guernica''). |
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{{creatortropes|page=The Spanish Civil War}} |
{{creatortropes|page=The Spanish Civil War}} |
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* [[Defector From Decadence]]: The Internationales fighting alongside the Republican forces included the Garibaldi Brigade, a unit of Italian antifascists, as well as several units of German anti-Nazi activists. |
* [[Defector From Decadence]]: The Internationales fighting alongside the Republican forces included the Garibaldi Brigade, a unit of Italian antifascists, as well as several units of German anti-Nazi activists. |
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* [[Democracy Is Bad]]: Many of the groups involved in the war believed this. The fascists and hardline monarchists rejected democracy outright. Most communists (particularly those loyal to Stalin) ''pretended'' to uphold it, but the reality was [[People's Republic of Tyranny|different]]. Anarchists and some socialists rejected the idea of ''representative'' democracy, insisting that the only true democracy is a ''direct'' democracy. |
* [[Democracy Is Bad]]: Many of the groups involved in the war believed this. The fascists and hardline monarchists rejected democracy outright. Most communists (particularly those loyal to Stalin) ''pretended'' to uphold it, but the reality was [[People's Republic of Tyranny|different]]. Anarchists and some socialists rejected the idea of ''representative'' democracy, insisting that the only true democracy is a ''direct'' democracy. |
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* [[Downer Ending]]: The Nazi-allied Nationalists won, who bombed Guernica into rubble, who after the war murdered a quarter of a million people with a blasé regularity that shocked the visiting German envoy (said envoy's name was Heinrich Himmler) ruled Spain until Franco's death in 1975. Of course, as soon as Franco died, his successor immediately went about dismantling the Nationalist regime and had converted the country back into a democracy in a few short years. Considering the Communist-allied Republicans were just as ruthless and backed by Stalin, the alternative would have been no better. |
* [[Downer Ending]]: The Nazi-allied Nationalists won, who bombed Guernica into rubble, who after the war murdered a quarter of a million people with a blasé regularity that shocked the visiting German envoy (said envoy's name was Heinrich Himmler) ruled Spain until Franco's death in 1975. Of course, as soon as Franco died, his successor immediately went about dismantling the Nationalist regime and had converted the country back into a democracy in a few short years. Considering the Communist-allied Republicans were just as ruthless and backed by Stalin, the alternative would have been no better. |
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* [[Dying Like Animals]]: The Non-Intervention Committee, an international body which was ostensibly formed to keep non-Spanish actors from supplying the Republicans and Nationalists. |
* [[Dying Like Animals]]: The Non-Intervention Committee, an international body which was ostensibly formed to keep non-Spanish actors from supplying the Republicans and Nationalists. |
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* [[Eagle Squadron]]: Fighting on the Nationalist side were the German Condor Legion, the Italian Corps of Volunteer Troops, Portuguese Viriatros and the Irish Brigade, as well as the Spanish army's "Foreign" Legion. Foreigners who fought on the Republican side included Soviet advisers, pilots and tank drivers as well as the International Brigades: an estimated 32,000 anti-fascist volunteers from 53 different countries. |
* [[Eagle Squadron]]: Fighting on the Nationalist side were the German Condor Legion, the Italian Corps of Volunteer Troops, Portuguese Viriatros and the Irish Brigade, as well as the Spanish army's "Foreign" Legion. Foreigners who fought on the Republican side included Soviet advisers, pilots and tank drivers as well as the International Brigades: an estimated 32,000 anti-fascist volunteers from 53 different countries. |
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* [[Early Installment Weirdness]]: The rebels didn't define themselves as anti-republican at first and continued to use the red-gold-purple flag for a month and a half, after which they adopted the red and gold. The Francoist coat of arms with the black eagle wasn't even adopted until 1938. And Franco himself wasn't supposed to originally be their leader. |
* [[Early Installment Weirdness]]: The rebels didn't define themselves as anti-republican at first and continued to use the red-gold-purple flag for a month and a half, after which they adopted the red and gold. The Francoist coat of arms with the black eagle wasn't even adopted until 1938. And Franco himself wasn't supposed to originally be their leader. |
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* [[Load-Bearing Boss]]: More like a load bearing 'city'. The civil war went on for years until effective Republican resistance ended completely with the fall of Madrid. They fought on for some time after that, but after Madrid fell it was obvious to all involved that a Nationalist victory was now a foregone conclusion, it was only a matter of time. |
* [[Load-Bearing Boss]]: More like a load bearing 'city'. The civil war went on for years until effective Republican resistance ended completely with the fall of Madrid. They fought on for some time after that, but after Madrid fell it was obvious to all involved that a Nationalist victory was now a foregone conclusion, it was only a matter of time. |
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* [[The Man Behind the Man]]: Mola planned to be this but it didn't quite work. |
* [[The Man Behind the Man]]: Mola planned to be this but it didn't quite work. |
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* [[Monumental Damage]]: Extensive during the sieges of the Alcázar de Toledo and the Cuartel de la Montaña, and the three years long battle for the University City of Madrid. |
* [[Monumental Damage]]: Extensive during the sieges of the Alcázar de Toledo and the Cuartel de la Montaña, and the three years long battle for the University City of Madrid. |
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* [[My Country, Right or Wrong|My Government Right, Or Wrong]]: General Antonio Escobar Huertas, conservative and devote Catholic, fought on the Republican side even though his son (later KIA) was on the opposite side. He was also the only general of the People's Army to not flee the country after the defeat even though his captor Juan Yagüe [[Worthy Opponent|offered him a plane to do so]]. Sentenced to death, [[Badass Spaniard|he directed his own execution by firing squad]]. |
* [[My Country, Right or Wrong|My Government Right, Or Wrong]]: General Antonio Escobar Huertas, conservative and devote Catholic, fought on the Republican side even though his son (later KIA) was on the opposite side. He was also the only general of the People's Army to not flee the country after the defeat even though his captor Juan Yagüe [[Worthy Opponent|offered him a plane to do so]]. Sentenced to death, [[Badass Spaniard|he directed his own execution by firing squad]]. |
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* [[Not So Different]]: Yeee *Gods*, where do we start? Both sides were basically an uneasy patchwork of loose alliances between different parts of Spanish society which were dominated by or came to be dominated by the worst of their alliance (the ultra-authoritarians that made up the Nationalists and the Communist hardliners backed by Stalin for the Republicans). The runner ups for power not being that much better (monarchists in the style of the old absolutists and radical Socialists and Anarchists) both of whom held nothing but contempt for things like "bourgeois democracy" or "religious tolerance" (and who were readily indulged in this by patrons like the [[Soviet Union]], [[Nazi Germany]], and [[Fascist Italy]]. However, they also included moderate and (at least to most modern audiences) more sympathetic parties on both sides (the small-c religious conservatives who were horrified by the Republic's persecution of Christians and other "undesirables" more prominently and obviously the number of people both from Spain and elsewhere who came to fight for democracy against the Right's coup attempt. And to cap it all off? In 1934 another (far smaller and localized) revolt had been launched against the Republic from the opposite end of the spectrum, and which was put down by young(er) Francisco Franco. |
* [[Not So Different]]: Yeee *Gods*, where do we start? Both sides were basically an uneasy patchwork of loose alliances between different parts of Spanish society which were dominated by or came to be dominated by the worst of their alliance (the ultra-authoritarians that made up the Nationalists and the Communist hardliners backed by Stalin for the Republicans). The runner ups for power not being that much better (monarchists in the style of the old absolutists and radical Socialists and Anarchists) both of whom held nothing but contempt for things like "bourgeois democracy" or "religious tolerance" (and who were readily indulged in this by patrons like the [[Soviet Union]], [[Nazi Germany]], and [[Fascist Italy]]. However, they also included moderate and (at least to most modern audiences) more sympathetic parties on both sides (the small-c religious conservatives who were horrified by the Republic's persecution of Christians and other "undesirables" more prominently and obviously the number of people both from Spain and elsewhere who came to fight for democracy against the Right's coup attempt. And to cap it all off? In 1934 another (far smaller and localized) revolt had been launched against the Republic from the opposite end of the spectrum, and which was put down by young(er) Francisco Franco. |
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* [[What the Hell, Hero?]]: The Nationalists enjoyed support from Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy, and the Republicans had support from Soviet Russia. As a result, the western democracies refused to support the Republicans. Nonintervention protocols and embargoes were introduced, which were only broken by the USSR, Mexico, and a few volunteer and activist groups from other countries. |
* [[What the Hell, Hero?]]: The Nationalists enjoyed support from Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy, and the Republicans had support from Soviet Russia. As a result, the western democracies refused to support the Republicans. Nonintervention protocols and embargoes were introduced, which were only broken by the USSR, Mexico, and a few volunteer and activist groups from other countries. |
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* [[Written by the Winners]]: Inverted outside of Spain and fascist countries: Thanks to the many authors and other artists fighting in the international brigades, their side of the story is better known. |
* [[Written by the Winners]]: Inverted outside of Spain and fascist countries: Thanks to the many authors and other artists fighting in the international brigades, their side of the story is better known. |
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* [[X Meets Y]]: Third Carlist War meets [[World War |
* [[X Meets Y]]: Third Carlist War meets [[World War I]] meets [[World War Two]]. |
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* [[You Shall Not Pass]]: "No pasarán!". Followed by a [[Take That]] from Franco after Madrid finally fell: "We have passed." |
* [[You Shall Not Pass]]: "No pasarán!". Followed by a [[Take That]] from Franco after Madrid finally fell: "We have passed." |
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* [[Your Terrorists Are Our Freedom Fighters]]: More like your ''criminals'' are our freedom fighters - the Nationalist government prohibited the country's media from reporting on the actions of Republican [[La Résistance|Maquis]] as anything other than isolated bandit attacks or crime sprees; one of the reasons the Maquis finally lost was that their political motivations - and, in some cases, their very existence - were usually completely unknown outside of the immediate area they operated in. |
* [[Your Terrorists Are Our Freedom Fighters]]: More like your ''criminals'' are our freedom fighters - the Nationalist government prohibited the country's media from reporting on the actions of Republican [[La Résistance|Maquis]] as anything other than isolated bandit attacks or crime sprees; one of the reasons the Maquis finally lost was that their political motivations - and, in some cases, their very existence - were usually completely unknown outside of the immediate area they operated in. |
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[[Category:Hollywood History]] |
[[Category:Hollywood History]] |
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[[Category:Military and Warfare Tropes]] |
[[Category:Military and Warfare Tropes]] |
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