Right-wing groups: monarchists, conservatives, the Catholic Church, and the military
4. Street violence, strikes, and attempted uprisings increased throughout the 1930s.
Exam technique
Use the phrase "reform met with reaction" to describe this period. Every time the left tried to change something, the right pushed back, leading to instability.
Common Mistake
Don’t treat the Second Republic as unified. It was deeply divided even within the left and right, which made governing nearly impossible.
Azaña and Gil Robles
Manuel Azaña, a moderate left-wing politician, was Prime Minister and later President. He supported land reform, secular education, and military reform.
His reforms alienated conservatives, especially the Church and military.
José María Gil Robles led the right-wing CEDA party. Though he worked within the system, many feared he wanted to set up an authoritarian regime.
The 1936 elections returned a left-wing Popular Front government, and violence between political groups increased dramatically.
Exam technique
Mention how both Azaña and Gil Robles symbolized Spain’s polarization, not dictators, but unable to stop the drift toward civil war.
Common Mistake
Don’t claim that either leader "caused" the war. Focus on how rising tensions and fear of each other’s agendas undermined democracy.
Causes of the Civil War (1936)
The immediate trigger was the military uprising in July 1936, led by Franco and other generals.
Long-term causes included:
Social inequality and land issues
Fear of communism and anarchism
Opposition to Church reforms
Breakdown of law and order
3. The army, Church, and landowners supported the Nationalists; workers, peasants, and urban leftists supported the Republicans.
Exam technique
Use both long-term and short-term causes in your essay. Don't just focus on 1936. Tie in events from 1918 onwards.
Common Mistake
Don’t oversimplify it as "left vs right." The civil war had regional, religious, military, and class dimensions.
Foreign Involvement in the Civil War
Germany and Italy supported the Nationalists, sending weapons, planes, and troops (e.g. Condor Legion).
The USSR supported the Republicans with arms and advisors.
International Brigades: Volunteers from around the world came to fight for the Republic.
Britain and France officially remained neutral, though some French aid leaked through.
Exam technique
Explain how foreign support helped balance the sides.
Common Mistake
Avoid saying "Hitler and Mussolini won the war for Franco." Their help mattered, but internal Spanish factors were also crucial.
Reasons for Nationalist Victory under Franco (1939)
The Republicans were divided between anarchists, communists, and socialists who often fought each other.
The Nationalists had a unified command, led by Franco.
Nationalists had better access to weapons, foreign support, and military strategy.
The Republic struggled with weak leadership, internal purges, and loss of morale.
Exam technique
Use the structure: Republican weaknesses vs Nationalist strengths. Compare leadership, unity, resources, and morale.
Common Mistake
Avoid blaming the loss entirely on foreign aid or internal betrayal. The Nationalists were simply better organized and more cohesive.
Active recall
Assess the political, social, and economic conditions in Spain between 1918 and 1931 that contributed to instability.
Examine the reasons for the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War in 1936.
To what extent did foreign involvement determine the outcome of the Spanish Civil War (1936–1939)?