Which two sides fought the Spanish Civil War?
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Republicans and Nationalists
The elected Republic faced insurgent soldiers.
💡 Did you know? The conflict split the whole of society.
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Which general led the Nationalist uprising?
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Francisco Franco
He became the leader of the insurgents.
💡 Did you know? After victory he ruled Spain for almost 40 years.
In which year did the civil war begin?
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1936
A generals' coup only partly failed and became a war.
💡 Did you know? The country split into two camps.
Which dictatorships backed Franco?
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Nazi Germany and Italy
Both sent aircraft, weapons and soldiers.
💡 Did you know? For them Spain was a testing ground for the coming world war.
What was the German air unit on Franco's side called?
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Condor Legion
It tested new bombing and air-combat tactics.
💡 Did you know? Its attacks were a prelude to the Second World War.
Which Basque town was destroyed from the air in 1937?
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Guernica
The attack on civilians shocked the world.
💡 Did you know? It became a symbol of modern aerial warfare.
Which artist immortalised Guernica's destruction in a painting?
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Pablo Picasso
His painting “Guernica” became an anti-war symbol.
💡 Did you know? In black and white it shows the horror of the bombing.
What were the foreign volunteers on the Republic's side called?
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The International Brigades
People from around the world fought against fascism.
💡 Did you know? Many German anti-fascists joined too.
Which great power mainly supported the Republic?
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The Soviet Union
It supplied weapons and advisers.
💡 Did you know? The Western democracies, by contrast, largely stayed neutral.
How did the Western democracies officially behave?
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They stayed out (non-intervention)
Britain and France declared neutrality.
💡 Did you know? This left the Republic at a disadvantage against Franco's backers.
Which capital long held out against the Nationalists?
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Madrid
“No pasarán!”: “They shall not pass!” was the slogan.
💡 Did you know? Only in 1939 did the city fall.
In which year did the civil war end?
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1939
The Nationalists had won.
💡 Did you know? A few months later the Second World War began.
What form of rule did Franco establish after victory?
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A dictatorship
He ruled Spain with an iron hand until 1975.
💡 Did you know? Only after his death did Spain become democratic again.
Which English writer fought for the Republic?
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George Orwell
He described his experiences in “Homage to Catalonia”.
💡 Did you know? His criticism also hit his own allies.
Which American author wrote a famous novel about the war?
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Ernest Hemingway
His novel is “For Whom the Bell Tolls”.
💡 Did you know? He also reported from Spain as a journalist.
What was Franco's political movement called?
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The Falange
It was the fascist-leaning state party.
💡 Did you know? It shaped the regime for decades.
Which Catalan city was a Republican stronghold?
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Barcelona
Anarchists were also strong there.
💡 Did you know? Its fall in 1939 sealed the Republic's defeat.
Why is the war seen as a prelude to the Second World War?
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Fascists tested new weapons here
Germany and Italy tested tactics and technology.
💡 Did you know? The terror of area bombing foreshadowed the world war.
Roughly how many lives did the war cost?
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About 500,000
Many also died from hunger and political persecution.
💡 Did you know? Hundreds of thousands fled into exile.
How long did Franco's rule last?
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Until 1975
Only his death opened the path to democracy.
💡 Did you know? Spain then became a constitutional monarchy again.
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