Views on the Spanish Civil War.

The Spanish Civil War was the bloodiest conflict in Spanish history. It was result of deep political and social divisions within Spain. The rebel Nationalists, parts of the military, the landowners and businessmen rose up against the Republican government, supported  by urban workers, labourers and the educated middle classes, and led Spain into three years of conflict, resulting in the deaths of half a million people.

The war began when the Popular Front won the 1936 elections. The popular Front was supported by left-wing parties and vehemently opposed to by those on the right. In response to this, a well-planned military uprising began on July 17 1936 around the country and within 4 days the rebels had gained control of the Basque provinces, Catalonia, Spanish Morocco, the Balearic and Canary Islands as well as parts of central Spain. Both sides set about controlling the areas they were set up in and began to ruthlessly repress any opposition and the proliferation of executions, assassinations and murders on both sides reflects the great passions the Civil War unleashed. On the Nationalist side, captaincy was gradually assumed by General Franco, and he was named head of state in October and set up a Nationalist government in Burgos, whilst the Republicans were headed by socialist leader Francisco Largo Caballero, who was followed by Juan Negrin in 1937.

adapted from: http://manchesterhistorian.com/2015/the-spanish-civil-war/

 

 Castelao

Everything has risen over the blood. And the blood shed in torrent by the barbarians who invade Galicia, who cover with sorrow and pain its lovely gardens, the edge of its rivers, and the bottom of the sea; this generous and fertile blood will create a new race through love and hate. Peasants, workers, intelectuals, men and women of all tendencies, who found death through the hands of barbarity, who fell under the gallopping of the horse of Atila, lonely and hidden in the martyrized Galicia: wait in your great peace and in your great silence! Your pain will be revenged, your tortures will not have been in vain. Your sons will live in a world, freer and more beautiful, a world according to the aims of your souls and worthy the sacrifices of your own existence.