Spanish Civil War: Republicans Background Guide. Chair: Zachary Diamond Crisis Director: Pascal Hensel

Transcription

1 Spanish Civil War: Republicans Background Guide Chair: Zachary Diamond Crisis Director: Pascal Hensel

2 Dear Delegates, It is an honor to invite you to the 21st Virginia International Crisis Simulation, the University of Virginia s annual collegiate Model United Nations conference. VICS XXI will be held at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville from March 31 to April 3, VICS offers nineteen innovative and interactive crisis committees, both historical and contemporary. We are committed to expanding the scope of what a crisis committee can do. As I write this letter in early November, our chairs are crafting their committees around topics ranging from the Space Race of the 1950s to a Summit of the American Gun Lobby. We are committed to expanding the scope of what a crisis committee can do, especially in our famous ad-hoc, the Secretary General s Good Offices, and in our pilot ad-hoc, the Directors General's Good Offices. I can think of no better setting for the conference than the Grounds of the University of Virginia. VICS provides you with opportunities to interact with the University s rich history and with the many resources it has to offer. For example, on Friday morning, VICS encourages delegates to explore Charlottesville. VICS offers a series of tours of the city's attractions. These events extend discussion outside of committee and they give you the chance to meet members of the International Relations Organization and of the university community. We also invite you to explore Charlottesville, one of the country s most exciting college towns. VICS hosts four social events in the city, which take you beyond a typical Model UN experience and provide opportunities to get to know delegates outside of committee. I look forward to welcoming you to the University of Virginia and Charlottesville in March. If you have any questions, please reach out to me or the Chargé d Affaires, Leah Day, atvics.charge@gmail.com or by phone at (703) Sincerely, Michael Treves Secretary General VICS XXI

3 Dear Delegates, It is our distinct pleasure to welcome you to VICS XXI at the University of Virginia. We look forward to hosting you and seeing you all participate in the simulation we have designed for you. Both of us are experienced in Model UN, having hosted several conferences in the past, and we are excited to challenge you with quick and difficult crises as you debate your way through one of the most tumultuous periods of modern Spanish history. Set in the past, we are keeping the background history intact. Therefore, strong delegates will react to the unfolding crises while operating in and referring to the given historical context. Though you will work together to defeat the Nationalists, the Second Spanish Republic was made up of a coalition of parties with regional and political differences. The challenge will thus be to defeat the Nationalists while also ensuring the survival, or maybe even the influence or authority, of the parties and/or interest groups you as delegates will represent. Nevertheless, though each position has its own agenda, history and how you choose to use your character is in your hands now. We look forward to hearing your thoughts and ideas in debate, and we encourage you to think creatively to challenge either the Nationalists or each other. We are excited for a fast-paced crisis simulation and hope you enjoy your weekend here with us in Charlottesville. Otherwise, feel free to contact us or the Director General for this committee, Adrien Carré, for more information if you have any questions about the committee. Warm Regards, Zach Diamond Chair zjd6uf@virginia.edu Pascal Hensel Crisis Director pfh4dr@virginia.edu Adrien Carré Director General VICS.DirectorGeneral@gmail.com

4 Committee Overview The Spanish Civil War made evident all the divisions in Spain that started directly after the World War I. The military coup in 1936 put the republican government against the military-run Nationalist rebellion. But, this war s influence and scope would spread beyond Spain. It became an early battleground between communism and fascism as Soviet Russia and Nazi Germany fueled opposing sides while Western Europe stood idly by. This republican council is a group of political leaders of the various different parties tasked with defeating the Nationalist rebellion. However, this task is much more than simply fighting a war. As writer Miguel de Unamuno said, You (the nationalists) may conquer, but you will never convince, highlighting how this war is not simply about occupying land, but controlling the land and the civilian population. This committee is not just about winning battles but also swaying civilian populations to keep unity and peace in occupied lands while causing disruption in land controlled by the opposition. The republican committee is tasked with managing the republican forces and government in reacting to crises as well as the actions of the Nationalist Committee, the other committee in the JCC. All groups and nations other than the Nationalist rebels will be controlled by crisis. This committee will respond to crisis by passing directives by majority vote where each delegates vote is equal. Delegates can also attempt to use personal portfolio powers to achieve personal or committee goals. Portfolio powers will not be explicitly stated but delegates are encouraged to look into their delegate and think about potential powers that could realistically be used. The Republican

5 Committee is originally stationed in Madrid but can be moved over the course of the war if necessary. It is October 1936, Franco has risen to power for the nationalists, and European nations have signed a non-intervention policy, which the Soviet Union, Italy, and Germany have all ignored. The modernization of social reform in Spain has been threatened by the military uprising. It is up to this the Republican government to protect Spain from Fascist rule. The Rise of Conflict ( ) Spain Post World War I Spain s neutrality during World War I drastically changed its economy. Spain now had export markets to both sides of the conflict and with war raging through Europe. The Spanish trade deficit became a large surplus and gold reserves more than tripled, allowing the government to pay off much of its national debt. 1 Spain s increase in exports also fueled an industrialization of the nation s economy. However, the industrialization of the weakly structured Spanish economy caused divisions between the rural and urban centers. Rural production became less profitable and thousands of workers had to transition to industrial jobs to maintain an income. But even in industrial cities, the purchasing power varied greatly between workers and financiers. 2 The increase in gold in the Spanish economy caused inflation that hurt the purchasing power of rural and industrial workers. 3 1 Oh Jinseok. Spain and World War I: April accessed January 3, Ibid. 3 Ibid.

6 Spain s post-world War I economy divided society and left lower and middle class workers with the only option of protest to maintain a standard of living. Urban workers began to unify under unions including the most powerful trade union in Spain: the anarcho-syndicalist Confederacion Nacional de Trabajo (CNT). 4 The economic transformation planted the seeds for social and political change in the next twenty years. The Establishment of the Republic The boom of the 1920s saw a growth in economic prosperity but also growing protests for constitutional reforms. King Alfonso XIII allowed a soft coup in 1923, which welcomed the command of General Miguel Primo de Rivera. The military dictatorship did not seek a constitutional solution but attempted many reforms which were rejected by the military as well as Spanish lords and elites. 5 In January 1930, Primo de Rivera stepped down as he lost the support of other army officials. King Alfonso returned to power finding almost all of Spain disenfranchised from the monarchy, and so he left Madrid on April and a leftist parliament declared the republic. 6 The new Spanish Republican Government sought to make sweeping reforms to stimulate economic and cultural modernization. This was backed by two groups, the progressive republicans, who had reform ideas but lacked the electoral muscle, and the Spanish socialists, who were the only mass political movement when the republic was declared. 7 The reforms, such as the separation of Church and State, alienated 4 Helen Graham, The Spanish Civil War: A Very Short Introduction (New York: Oxford,2005), 5. 5 Graham, The Spanish Civil War, 6. 6 Graham, The Spanish Civil War, 7. 7 Graham, The Spanish Civil War, 7.

7 organizations loyal to the monarchy and damaged the power and influence of the Catholic Church, which had been the biggest supporter of the monarchy. 8 The government also cut down the size of the Spanish Army to put the army under civilian control and to further fund welfare and other programs. Indeed, the Spanish army had become exclusive and interconnected since the end of the Spanish colonial era. Promotions and appointments were based more on family ties and connections than on merits. Hence, the Spanish army saw itself separated from civilian Spain and was angered both at losing government funding as well as being commanded by the new republican government. 9 The Republican government also allowed an autonomous government in Catalonia. Catalonia, an industrial region of Spain, was a leading region in protests not only for socialist reforms but also for its independence from Spain. Catalonia was mostly anarchist and it disliked the idea of a central government, despite its support of the Republican cause. 10 In the rural areas of Spain, peasants farmed land owned by nobles in a feudaltype system. The rise of the Republican government gave hope for the peasants, but the government ran into multiple financial barriers in trying to acquire property and help the peasants maintain a decent standard of living. Ultimately, the new government could not solve the property problems of the landless poor in rural areas. 11 It is difficult to say whether the new government was too ambitious in its reforms or if it was simply a failure of the situation. Reforms that were seen to modernize Spain 8 Antony Beevor, The Spanish Civil War (New York: P. Bedrick, 1983) 9 Graham, The Spanish Civil War, Beevor, The Spanish Civil War, Graham, The Spanish Civil War,

8 led to deeper divides that would play out in the Civil War. The alienation of the Church alienated conservatives, the army reforms angered an exclusive and powerful officer corps, and the social reforms were seen as not effective enough. A Shift in Power The many reforms coupled with a few other issues put the socialist and republican coalition into a difficult situation. The decline of support for this coalition came from its ineffectiveness which stemmed from three major issues. The first issue was the world economic conditions in 1930s. The effects of depression greatly stalled the progressive welfare reforms being implemented. Unemployment was rising which greatly affected the many unskilled workers who had recently moved to the growing industrial cities. The rural unskilled workers were already living at a low living standard, and, with the finances being controlled by monetarists, the relief programs were not useful in alleviating the sufferings caused by the depression. 12 The second issue was the inability for the government to institute many of its reforms. The new government had the ability to pass reforms in the government but had much bigger barriers in actually implementing these reforms. The major problem was the power of the elites that opposed the proposed reforms. The large landowners in the rural south still held their titles and influence over the lands. Landowners refused to recognize legislation that redistributed land and opposed the actions of trade unions. While actions of the landowners were met with opposition by hopeful landless peasants, 12 Beevor, The Spanish Civil War

9 nobles also responded by pointing to the poor status of the rural workers and saying, let the Republic feed you. 13 The third issue with the socialist government was the division within the coalition. Despite being united on removing the monarchy, there were huge gaps in ideology mainly between the socialist parliamentary body and the anarchist CNT Trade Union. The CNT and anarchists in general did not support many of the policies implemented by the socialist parliament as the anarchists disapproved of a strong central government. 14 The problem was further aggravated when the CNT sent representatives to the Soviet Union. The CNT discovered that the Bolsheviks were taking heavy action against anarchist movements in the Soviet Union. 15 The lack of support for the Soviet Union by the CNT contradicted the stance of the Spanish Communist Party (PCE). 16 The socialist party was unable to remain in power following the November 1933 elections which saw a conservative government takeover parliament. This led to the mobilization of Spanish youth and uprisings in leftist regions of Spain. In response to leftist revolts, the government imprisoned many leftist protesters, shut down leftist newspapers, overthrew town councils, and trade unions suffered a loss of influence and government support Graham, The Spanish Civil War, Beevor, The Spanish Civil War, Beevor, The Spanish Civil War, Beevor, The Spanish Civil War, Graham, The Spanish Civil War, 16.

10 Elections of 1936 Socialists realized from the events of 1934 that the only way they could successfully bring about a progressive change to Spain was through parliamentary action. 18 The leftist political groups thus formed a new coalition that would win the elections in February 1936 with the policy of re-enacting similar reforms to those attempted from Major Causes of the Civil War Spanish culture since the early 1900s had been characterized by growing divisions. When war broke out, individuals and organizations had to pick a side and both sides grew a non-toleration for the other. 20 The three key factors that caused most of the divides and the escalation to war were the Catholic Church, the Spanish Army, and the different geographical development of Spanish towns. The Catholic Church Throughout time, the Catholic Church has been central to Spanish culture. However, the Catholic Church came under pressure from growing industrialization and secularization in the 1900s. The Church saw the political left as a threat to the churches near-monopoly on education. 21 Further, the Church greatly benefitted from the support of the monarchy, which allowed clergy to live comfortable lifestyles as well as maintain legitimacy. 18 Graham, The Spanish Civil War, Ibid. 20 Graham, The Spanish Civil War, Graham, The Spanish Civil War, 4.

11 The Catholic Church came under great scrutiny of both certain urban and rural populations. In the urban centers in the northeast, the Church was seen as an institution that stalled political progress and manipulated lifestyle and beliefs. However, the landless peasants in the South of Spain also were fed up with the clergy. The peasants would hear the clergy preach a pious life in poverty but see them live lavish lifestyles. Further, local clergy support of a near-feudal structure further darkened the view of the Catholic Church. 22 The Church was the only institution to stand united in support of the monarchy in The Republican government separated Church and State and heavily invested into education, which challenged the education offered by the Church. The Church also suffered from civilian violence, such as burning churches, which the Republican government mostly ignored. 24 The Church was ready to support any movement that would stop secularization and restore the influence of the Catholic Church. Nevertheless, most of Spain s population lived in villages and small towns, where Catholicism provided a sense of identity and unity. 25 The Church provided a spiritual service for the Spaniards living in this modest rural lifestyle. The Church also functioned as a means of education and literacy. 26 In these regions, the Catholic Church was ingrained into identity and everyday life, and the areas were not willing to abandon it as much as other regions. 22 Graham, The Spanish Civil War, Graham, The Spanish Civil War, Beevor, The Spanish Civil War, Graham, The Spanish Civil War, Graham, The Spanish Civil War, 4.

12 The Spanish Army The loss of the Spanish American War in 1898 saw Spain cede the last of its colonies and ended the Spanish empire. This loss of empire took a toll on many aspects of Spain, but it arguably affected Spain s oversized officer corps the most. The Spanish military transformed from a body protecting imperial interests to an exclusive political institution bent on maintaining its prestige and income. The officer corps adopted the belief that Spain s loss of empire was attributed to the poor decision making of civilian politicians. This drove the Spanish Army to separate itself farther from civilian culture. The army became a system where appointments were based on family connections or political favors as opposed to merits. The army was becoming a close knit group that alienated and distrusted the civilian side of government. 27 Further, the Spanish military reinterpreted its purpose as the defenders of Spain as needing to protect the cultural and political homogeneity that defined Spain s history. 28 Officers heavily influenced by this military culture saw intervention in 1936 as a means to protect Spain from being ruined by reforms from a civilian government. The army s aggression toward the Republican government was also for practical reasons as the government aimed to curtail the power of the military. The republican government in 1931 reduced funding to the Spanish military, cutting down on personnel, closed down the military academy in Zaragoza and froze on field battle promotions which had helped a lot of officers climb through the ranks during the 27 Graham, The Spanish Civil War, Graham, The Spanish Civil War, 3.

13 campaign in Morocco. 29 The prospects of the military being a less powerful institution made many young officers concerned about their future careers. Many young officers backed military coups in both 1932 and 1936 as they had the most to lose from the republican government remaining in power. 30 While military support was behind both attempted coups, the 1936 coup was successful in bringing a war because of opposition to the Republican government by civilian populations. 31 Civilian Divisions in Spain The Spanish Civil War could not have occurred without civilian support for both the socialist controlled Republican government and the Nationalist military body. The supporters of each side stem from many different divisions that began to appear starting with Spanish industrialization and the loss of empire at the turn of the century. These many different divisions which crossed over faith, geography, and socio-economic status, would polarize to define each individual as supporting one side of the conflict and despising those on the other side. One of the largest divisions in Spain was rural versus urban lifestyle. With a new industrial economy booming, urban populations rapidly expanded including in Barcelona, Bilbao, and, on a slightly smaller scale, Seville and Zaragoza. 32 These urban centers created a need for secular education and better conditions and city programs for the working class. Industrialists in this area benefited from an economic move toward modernity that fueled a transition to an industrial economy. Rural Spain sought to 29 Graham, The Spanish Civil War, Ibid. 31 Ibid. 32 Oh Jinseok. Spain and World War I: April accessed January 3,

14 conserve its way of lifestyle and identity which was tied not just to the village culture but also to the Catholic Church and other historical aspects of Spain. The Church, and those regions where the culture remained predominantly Catholic did not support the Republic government. 33 However, the Basque County in the North of Spain, despite remaining devoutly Catholic, supported the Republic over the monarchy mainly due to the region s desire for independence. 34 Further, while peasants in the south supported the republic as a way to free themselves from their ruling landowners, the industrial Barcelona regions collided with the republic government on many occasions as a majority of Barcelona was anarchist and saw the centrist republican government as simply the lesser of two evils. 35 These many divisions enabled the Spanish Civil War. The coup was successful as many regions welcomed the nationalists as a way to conserve Spanish identity while others were so fearful of the Nationalists that they stood by the Socialist government as a way to protect the progression of Spanish politics. The Coup of 1936 Since the 1936 elections and reestablishment of the leftist government, military leaders had been plotting an overthrow of the Republic government. On July 17, 1936, the Spanish Army in Morocco, first in the city of Melilla, rose in rebellion against the Republican government. The following day, the long planned coup started on the Spanish mainland led by General Sanjurjo. 36 Hampered by a divided military and police 33 Graham, The Spanish Civil War, Ibid. 35 Beevor, The Spanish Civil War, The Spanish Revolution in July of

15 force, the republic did not know who they could trust internally and was slow to respond to the coup. This created a power vacuum in conservative parts of Spain where nationalist civilians took control of their towns and welcomed the rebellion. 37 Despite slow action from the government, the republic remained intact due to preparation from individual political parties and trade unions. Leftist activities rose with loyal police authorities to maintain order in most or urban industrial Spain. Also in the south, where landless peasants had supported government reform, the coup was unsuccessful. 38 The coup was neither successful nor unsuccessful for the Nationalists. It was able to convert regions of Spain toward the nationalist cause but failed to take key parts of Spain including the capital of Madrid, most of the South, and the industrial regions (except for Seville). 39 The republic found itself still with most of its industrial centers but a fractured military and police force that needed to be reorganized before it could be effective. The Sides in the Civil War The Republic Following the uprising in July 1936, the republic found itself with the better position. 40 The republic held the eastern coast of Spain including Catalonia, most of the South (other than Seville), the Basque Country, and central Spain, including the capital city of Madrid. 37 Graham, The Spanish Civil War, Ibid. 39 Graham, The Spanish Civil War, Graham, The Spanish Civil War, 22.

16 The republic, with most of its supporters in urban cities, also held most of Spain s industrial capabilities. The largest industrial centers of Barcelona and Bilbao still heavily supported the Republican government over the nationalists. The only major loss of industry was the city of Seville in the south of Spain. Given that the rebellion was started by the military; the republican army was in shambles at the start of the conflict. Soldiers in pro-republic zones joined in with local militias, which were the first fighting forces for the Republican side. Despite losing a large portion of the army officer corps, the Spanish navy remained loyal to the republic. The Spanish army was finally supplemented by many foreign volunteer brigades as well as soldiers and equipment from allies including the Soviet Union. 41 A paralyzed central government meant that internally, supporters of the republic turned toward local governments and parties. Despite little direct support of the central government, membership in political organizations such as the CNT, UGT, POUM and PCE all rose. 42 These organizations were central in maintaining local order, running cities, and raising fighting forces in the early stages of the revolution. These regional temporary governments allowed Barcelona and other anarchist regions to thrive as a strong independent entities. 43 Overall, the Republicans have the better geographic areas of Spain. However, with their central government currently paralyzed, local governments and political groups are keeping the republic functioning. This disunity of ideas and organization are preventing a potential move to take back the rest of Spain. 41 Burnett Bolloten, The Spanish Civil War: Revolution and Counterrevolution (Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina, c1991), Beevor, The Spanish Civil War, Graham, The Spanish Civil War, 25.

17 The Nationalists After the original coup, the nationalists found themselves with a large region of central Spain. They also held a small portion of Southern Spain and Spanish Morocco. In terms of industry, most of the rebel lands were based on small agriculture and local markets. There only industrial center is the city of Seville. However, most of its supplies were what they started with or what they could get from foreign allies. In terms of military, the Nationalists had a much better selection from the officer corps. A majority of the army officers defected to the Nationalist cause, and those that had declared support for the Republic were assassinated. 44 The areas that sided with the rebellion maintained their standing armies and armories. The lands still loyal to the republic have had armories emptied to supply the newly formed militias. Lastly, the loss of the support of the Spanish navy froze Nationalist ability to move troops from Morocco to Spain. In order to sustain a fighting spirit to continue a war, the Nationalists needed a rallying point. General Franco would eventually take charge of the Nationalist side and the Catholic Church became the unifying factor of the rebellion. With the Church completely behind the Nationalist cause, supporters of the nationals hung to Catholicism as a unifying factor that held their cause together Graham, The Spanish Civil War, Graham, The Spanish Civil War,

18 Foreign Intervention Allies of the Republicans The Soviet Union quickly became the main ally to the republican government in the Civil War. The Soviet Union fundamentally was founded on an international revolution to Communism, and supporting the Spanish republicans would further leftist politics in Western Europe. Furthermore, the Soviet Union saw Spain as a potentially beneficial ally in Western Europe. Ideologically, the Soviets rallied behind the worker protests and push for worker s rights in Spain which was part of the republican agenda. Finally, the Soviet Union had invested a lot of energy into Spain having strong ties to the PCE. 46 The republic was also openly supported by the socialist government in Mexico. Mexico s open support of the republic provided them with potential aid in forms of weapons and soldiers. However, the Soviet Union was able to supply more goods. French neutrality made a long and difficult supply line from Mexico to the Republican regions. Allies of the Nationalists Even in the first week following the coup, the rebels realized they needed foreign intervention to win the conflict. 47 Nazi Germany was the crucial ally and supplier to the Nationalist side. Germany was capable of supplying aircraft, tanks, firearms, and soldiers to the Nationalist aid. Italy, being even closer to Spain, could supply greater manpower than Germany but were not as advanced in aircraft or tanks as the 46 Stanley G Payne, The Spanish Civil War, The Soviet Union, and Communism (New Haven: Yale, c2004), Graham, The Spanish Civil War, 24.

19 Germans. 48 But, the Italian s could supply naval support with a Navy that, despite not being the best in the world, was better than the Spanish navy. Questions to Consider 1. What will be more important to you as delegates: defeating the Nationalists as a unified force or defeating the Nationalists while securing the interests of your party. 2. Will favoring ideologies, such as communism, lead to the alienation of others in the coalition? To what extent can a party seek dominance without sidelining others vital to the Republican cause? 3. How can you utilize the different regions and classes to your advantage? Should you try to broaden your appeal for wider support or keep it narrow and divided to take advantage of focused goals. In other words, should the coalition adopt a single and broad platform or focus the energies of different interest groups? 4. How can you appeal to international actors for aid against the Nationalist forces? How can you guarantee that supplies, provisions, and manpower will suffice to fight the fascists, who benefit from Italian and German sympathy? 5. How can you acquire international support without being overruled by the ambitions of that international actor? How will other international actors respond to such involvement? 6. How will you fight the war? What kind of image of yourself will you portray to the rest of the world? Does your image matter? 48 Hugh Thomas, The Spanish Civil War (New York:Harper, 1961), 980.

20 Recommended Resource Tools While the background guide is provided to be a first tool in your research into the committee it should not be your only one. In order to kick-start your research here are a few resources that could be used in complement with this background guide to help gain an understanding of the committee and your delegate. The Spanish Civil War: A Very Short Introduction by Helen Graham The Spanish Civil War by Hugh Thomas The Spanish Civil War, The Soviet Union, and Communism by Stanley G. Payne Organizing the Fight: Armies and the Spanish Civil War by David A. Messenger The Communist Party, Cooptation and Spanish Republican Aid by Eric Smith The Spanish Civil War: Revolution and Counterrevolution by Burnett Bolloten

21 Bibliography Beevor, Antony. The Spanish Civil War. New York: P. Bedrick, Bolloten, Burnett. The Spanish Civil War: Revolution and Counterrevolution. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina,c1991. Graham, Helen. The Spanish Civil War: A Very Short Introduction. New York: Oxford,2005. Jinseok, Oh. Spain and World War I: April Payne, Stanley G. The Spanish Civil War, The Soviet Union, and Communism. New Haven: Yale, c2004. The Spanish Revolution in July of Thomas, Hugh. The Spanish Civil War. New York: Harper, 1961.

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23 CONTACT US We would appreciate hearing your feedback about out conference. Please direct all inquiries and comments to our Secretary-General. Michael Treves Secretary-General You can also contact us at the mailing address below: IRO c/o The International Relations Organization at the University of Virginia PO Box Newcomb Hall Station Charlottesville, VA Non-Affiliation Statement Although this organization has members who are University of Virginia students and may have University employees associated or engaged in its activities and affairs, the organization is not a part of or an agency of the University. It is a separate and independent organization which is responsible for and manages its own activities and affairs. The University does not direct, supervise or control the organization and is not responsible for the organizations contracts, acts, or omissions.