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Period: to
Spanish Civil War
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Generals' Rising (coup)
The generals Goded, Mola, and Franco led an insurrection against the elected government. The coup was dependent on the Spanish troops in Morocco. The rebels received help from other nations, including Germany, which provided transport to Spain from Morocco. The elected government neglected to act, however, and this revolt quickly grew into a civil war. -
General Sanjurjo dies in a plane crash
General Sanjurjo was the official leader of the coup that began the Spanish Civil War. However, Sanjurjo had been exiled to Portugal. As Sanjurjo was preparing to fly to Spain, his plane crashed, and he died. Sanjurjo's death left a split in command between General Franco in the south of Spain and General Mola in the north. -
The Siege of Alcaazar
The Alcaazar, a palace in Toledo, was held by forces in favor of the Nationalists. Republican militias besieged the Alcazar starting on 21 July. The republicans soon controlled most of Toledo, with the exception of the Alcaazar. The siege continued until 27 September, when Franco arrived. The victory was very important to the Nationalists because the Alcazar had once been the home of the Spanish monarchy. -
German Nazi and Italian fascist planes arrive
Throughout the course of the Spanish Civil War, Germany and Italy provided aid to the Nationalists. The aid provided consisted of troops, weapons, and aircraft. The supplies from Germany and Italy gave the Nationalists an advantage over the Republicans, and allowed them to win the Spanish Civil War. -
first International Brigade arrives in Spain
The International Brigades were volunteer forces from various countries who fought on the Republican side. The International Brigades consisted of people who shared the same ideologies as the Republicans. The International Brigades also included people who were fighting for democracy by fighting against the fascists. Although the Non-Intervention Committee later banned foreign volunteers from fighting in Spain, many people continued to smuggle themselves in to fight. -
Battle of Badajoz
The Battle of Badajoz was one of the first major Nationalist victories in the Spanish Civil War. Badajoz was continuously attacked by the Nationalists three days before Franco captured it. Although the Nationalists succeeded in capturing Badajoz, the Republicans had a strong defense as well, and the Nationalists suffered heavy casualties. The capture of Badajoz cut the Republicans' access to Portugal, and also linked the north and south of Spain, allowing for Mola and Franco to make contact. -
Battle of Majorca
The Republicans aimed to force the Nationalists away from Majorca and claim it for themselves. The Republicans landed on Majorca on August 16, and they managed to advance inland. However, the Nationalists were able to fight against the Republicans with the aid of Italian airplanes, leading to a Nationalist victory. -
Soviet intervention begins
The Soviet Union was one of the nations that supported the Republicans. The Soviet Union provided aid in the form of weapons, and was the Republicans' only source of major weapons. But because Stalin had signed the Non-intervention Agreement, the Soviet Union had to provide aid secretly. Soviet aid was also inconsistent, with some arms being modern and others being obsolete. The Soviet Union also provided aircraft. However, the Soviet supplies were ultimately not enough to win the war. -
Battle for Madrid
The Battle for Madrid began the Siege of Madrid, which lasted until 1939. Madrid, the capital city of Spain, was held by the Republicans, and the Nationalists aimed to conquer it. November 8 was the first attack on Madrid by General Mola. The attack consisted of 20,000 troops, as well as support from Italy and the German Condor Legion. The Republicans used the phrase "Non pasaran" (they shall not pass) to rally those defending the city. The battle lasted until December. -
Battle of Malaga
Malaga was a Republican base which the Nationalists sought to capture. Nationalists soldiers attacked from the south and northeast. The Nationalists progressed quickly, but the Nationalists failed to realize that they were aiming to capture Malaga. Although the Republicans had a large army, the soldiers were inexperienced and lacked sufficient weaponry. The battle lasted until February 8, when the Republicans evacuated Malaga and the Nationalists entered it. -
Battle of Jarama
The Battle of Jarama was another attempt by the Nationalists to cut off Madrid by crossing the Jarama river. The attack began on February 5, surprising the Republicans. The Nationalists attacked and overwhelmed the Republicans on February 6, and the battle lasted until February 27. The Nationalists succeeded in crossing the river, but they could not advance any further. The battle ended in a stalemate, with heavy casualties on both sides. -
Battle of Guadalajara
The battle began with an offensive by the Italians and Nationalists, but the offensive quickly ended on March 11. The Italian forces continued to attack, but despite support from the Nationalists, the Republicans managed to stop the attacks. The Republicans countered from March 18 to March 23, but they were soon stopped by Franco's reserve forces. This battle was the last major victory for the Republicans. -
Bombing of Guernica
April 26 was when the Basque town Guernica was bombed by the German Condor Legion. The bombing of Guernica is a significant event in the Spanish Civil War because Franco aimed to deliberately destroy the city, and at least 800 innocent civilians died in the bombing. The bombing of Guernica also inspired several pieces of anti-war art, including Pablo Picasso's Guernica painting. -
Battle of Brunete
The Battle of Brunete was an attempt by the Republicans to distract the Nationalists from the north and relieve the Republicans in the north. Brunete was chosen as a target because it would be difficult for the Nationalists to supply their troops, especially the ones in Madrid. The attack was well-prepared, and surprised the Nationalists. However, in the end, the Republicans failed to cut the Nationalists' supply lines, and were forced to leave Brunete. -
Battle of Teruel
The Battle of Teruel was one of the turning points of the Spanish Civil War. The Republicans aimed to capture Teruel, which was in Nationalist hands. When the Republicans learned that the Nationalists were planning an attack on Madrid, they launched the attack on Teruel on the 15th. Franco was diverted away from an offensive in order to relieve the troops at Teruel. The Nationalists eventually recaptured Teruel, with heavy casualties to both sides. -
Battle of the Ebro begins
The Battle of the Ebro lasted until November, and was the longest battle of the Spanish Civil War. The Battle of the Ebro was also the last major Republican offensive of the war. The aim of this battle was to reestablish contact with the central republican zone. The attack was initially successful, but the Nationalists were able to break through and advance to the Ebro River. The battle ended with 140,000 casualties total. -
Barcelona falls
After the Nationalists won the Battle of the Ebro, they quickly moved to conquer several more cities. Franco's forces began the Catalonia Offensive on December 23, 1938. The Nationalists conquered Catalonia, which had been held by the Republicans, including Barcelona, the Republican capital. The Republican government in Barcelona fled into France, along with many others who feared Franco. A month later, Manuel Azana resigned, and France and the UK recognized Franco's government. -
Final Offensive
Before the start of the offensive, some members of the Republic wanted to start peace negotiations with the Nationalists. The Nationalists, however, only wanted an unconditional surrender. When the offensive started on March 26, the Nationalists did not meet any resistance because the Republican soldiers had abandoned the front. The Nationalists occupied several regions, and many people attempted to flee the country. -
Surrender of Madrid
The surrender of Madrid occurred after a three-year-long siege on Madrid. Franco had given up on attacking the city directly, and so instead continued to besiege it. Soon, the people in the city began to suffer from shortages of food and other essential supplies. A division within the Republican side also occurred, as some wanted to continue fighting, while others wanted to negotiate with Franco for peace. Franco entered the city on the 26th, and the Nationalists conquered the city on the 28th. -
Spanish Civil War ends
On April 1, the Spanish Civil War officially ended, with an estimated 500,000 casualties. The last Republican troops withdrew from from all fronts, and the Nationalists controlled all of Spain. Franco proclaimed victory on the same day. Following the end of the war, other nations officially recognized Franco's government, and Franco established a dictatorship.
