The International Brigades During The Spanish Civil War

The war between the United States and Mexico was the first foreign battle the US had fought in as a nation. It was also the first war fought on enemy land. In 1836 Texas won its independence from Mexico. Three times, the US wanted annexation for Mexico and three times it was denied due to the impression of slavery. In 1845 Texas was claimed as a state and because of that Mexico broke all diplomatic relations with the United States. The Mexican-American War was fought between the United States and Mexico between April 1846 and February 1848. The US claimed that the dispute started over the annexation of Texas and other territories they wanted. However, it was also claimed that the US went to war to spread slavery not for the expansion of land,

Therefore, the League’s actions in Abyssinia show its ineffectiveness in maintaining peace to 1939.The Spanish Civil War served to highlight the divisions within Europe prior to the outbreak of war in 1939, and again show the ineffectiveness of the League of Nations in maintaining peace within Europe to 1939. The Civil War began in July 1936, in Spanish Morocco when military officers revolted against the government with General Franco taking charge with his fascist ideology and sever hatred of the communists. The Civil War saw the committing of atrocities with torture, massacres and civilian killings taking place as seen clearly by the bombing of Guernica in 1937. The League of Nations could do nothing to maintain peace in this situation and so was forced to adopt an approach of non-¬‐intervention into the

The evidence that supports the idea that the Nationalists won the Spanish Civil War because of their strength is abundant. The unity of the Nationalists was obvious and meant that there was both great organisation and co-ordination, meaning there was no ambiguity in the goals set by those fighting for the Nationalists. Franco’s plans for a long term war meant that he was able to ensure the defeat of the Republic by slowly squeezing the life out of the Republic war effort, which already was heavily reliant on Soviet aid, by securing Republican strong holds throughout Spain. The contrasting lack of unity on the Republic as well

Francisco Franco and other army leaders staged a coup and installed a right-wing fascist government, touching off a civil war between loyalist Republican forces (aided by Russia) and Franco's Fascist party (aided by Mussolini and Hitler).

People who were against fascism from around the world traveled to Spain to fight Franco.

     The Spanish-American war was an important turning point of both sides. The U.S. became a recognized world power. They came out of the war “with far-flung overseas possessions and a new stake in international politics.” All of this would eventually lead to the U.S. playing a determining role in Europe’s affairs and the rest of the planet. Spain was also affected and changed. The war freed them from imperial ideology. It allowed Spain to look to their future for the first time and consider, on their own terms, the knowledge of its historical being and it development. In a way, the was also liberated

The popular front was a party of left-wing elements with an alliance of communist, radical, and socialist elements. The officers had never intended to start a war. Danger! To Arms, a radio broadcast in Madrid, tells others “Workers, anti-fascists, and labouring people! Rise as one man! Prepare to defend the Republic, national freedom and the democratic liberties won by the people!” The speech is a sign showing how dangerous this whole situation is getting. The troops that have remained loyal to the Republic were carrying on the struggle in Morocco and Canary Islands. Meanwhile, by July 21st, the Nationalists had achieved control in Spanish Morocco, the Canary Islands, and parts of the Balearic Islands. Although the Republicans’ and the Nationalists organized their respected territories and tried to avoid violence, the Republicans’ were very violent in the beginning stages of the war. However, Nationalists carried out violence until the end. It was believed that Nationalists caused the most violence. Allies played a big role in violence and obtaining territories. The Republicans’ recieved aid from the Soviet Union and International Brigades, with volunteers from Europe and the United States. The Nationalists had aid from Italy and

-Hitler’s Germany was cautious when the appeal for help came from the rebels. He was not yet ready for a general European war. Hermann Goring was important in the decision to support the rebels. Both he and Hitler wanted to stop the spread of communism, but Goring also wanted to test out his Luftwaffe in live conditions. There were economic and strategic benefits for Germany too: raw materials could be gained and deploying to Spain could give Germany the potential to hamper Anglo-French maritime communications. Hitler didn’t think the war would last long, and only wanted to commit limited aid. As well as its support of Franco in the initial stages of the war, the Condor Legion perpetrated the now infamous bombing of Guernica and they played a pivotal role supporting the nationalists in taking Catalonia. German involvement was important to the outcome of the war as is played a crucial military role at critical times.

The Spanish American war was a great battle in American History. Some people may ask, “What was the Spanish American war?” It was a war the started with the great Country of Spain and the little place of Cuba. Cuba wanted freedom from Spain and wanted to be independent. Spain would not allow this act, this resulted in Cuba calling in “backup” from its ally the U.S. At the time most of America wanted to fight, all except president Mckinley, he had fought in the civil war and did not like war. This postponed the Spanish American war just a little longer.

Another pro-communist faction that partook in this civil war was the popular Front Government of France. This faction had provided very little substantial support to her sister regime as the French coalition was divided about whether or not to grant this support. This division is because of the fact that although the Prime Minister, Leon Blum, wanted to support the republicans there were those in his coalition who feared war with Germany and Italy. The fact that Britain didn’t approve of sending the Republicans aid was another reason for why so little was sent. As a result of this division and British disapproval Blum proposed a non-intervention agreement be signed by the European powers on the 25 July 1936. This treaty was not helpful to the Spanish Republic as Italy and Germany

In 1936, when Spain collapsed into its long and bloody civil war, the issues and underlying tensions in the European state system were becoming increasingly obvious and pressing. Long before the birth of the Spanish civil war, Europe, due to the `balance of power' arrangement held between the continents main power brokers, was in a state of diplomatic congeniality. Inefficient governments with no desire for reform reigned supreme under this system. However this period of political stagnation was blown asunder by the `Great War'. Following years of death and destruction and an apparent inability to recover fully, people began to question their governments and call for reform. These popular calls for reform gave birth to a number of radical groups and seen an explosion in their numbers as they resolved to provide strong rule. Dictatorships and political extremes sprouted throughout Europe. These include groups on both sides of the political divide; in Germany the Nazi Party, in Italy the fascists, in Russia the communists. Smaller instances of both can also be seen to have

Generalissimo Francisco Franco came into power after his victory in the Civil war in 1939 and ruled over Spain till his death in 1975. In this 40-year period Spain was massive changed that causes much debate as to the political nature of Franco’s regime whether it is fascist or something different, Francoism. To understand if Franco’s regime was fascist, fascism must first be defined. There are many working definitions of a fascist regime, Stanley Payne’s states that the dictator must alien his regime to the idea of anti-isms, them being aintiliberalism, antidemocratic, anticonservatism, anticommunism and antidemocratic. Payne states these are fundamental in the description of a fascist regime. Another useful definition is Robert Griffin, stating that a fascist regime will use symbolism, violence to pursue its political aims, with the importance aimed at expansionism. Finally Griffin also states the need of the dictator to implement an authoritarian and totalitarian government. All these help to create a fascist regime and more importantly a truly fascist dictator. There is little doubt Franco holds to some of these definitions yet in later year the idea of Francosim becomes more viable however to understand if Franco was a truly fascist dictator we must look to the similarities and differences and determine by examining Franco’s rise politically his general style of government and finally his foreign policies it will determined whether Franco was a truly fascist dictator.

The Outbreak of the Spanish Civil War To this day the Spanish Civil War is still remembered as the single most pivotal moment in the history of Spanish politics. The only way of understanding how 600,000 Spaniards were killed between 1936 and 1939 is to ask ourselves why the civil war broke out in Spain in 1936. There were a number of reasons which led to the civil war in Spain. The main and most significant being the increased political polarization between the left and right wing parties.

(1936–39), military revolt against the Republican government of Spain, supported by conservative elements within the country. When an initial military coup failed to win control of the entire country, a bloody civil war ensued, fought with great ferocity on both sides. The Nationalists, as the rebels were called, received aid from fascist Italy and Nazi Germany. The Republicans received aid from the Soviet Union, as well as from International Brigades, composed of volunteers from Europe and the United States.

4) when the Spanish civil war took place in 1936, Mussolini sent extensive help to Franco, the right wing Nationalist leader, hoping to establish a third fascist state in Europe and to get naval bases in Spain from which he could threaten France. His justification was that he wanted to prevent the spread of Communism.