1937 Spanish Civil war Lecture

From 1830 to 1930, Spain endured four civil wars.
Society divided into two main groups:
- Landowners and industrialists
- Workers and landless laborers
Society complex due to regional, linguistic, and ethnic divisions.
Trienio Bolchevique (1918-1921):
- Characterized by mass strikes, terrorist activities, and violence.
Dictatorship (1921):
- After a military uprising, General Miguel Primo de Rivera staged a coup and established a dictatorship.
End of Dictatorship/Abdication of the King:
- Political instability worsened by the Great Depression.
- Primo de Rivera resigned; King Alfonso XIII abdicated to avoid forced removal, hoping to stabilize through a moderate-left Republic.

Declaration of the Second Republic: April 14, 1931
- Nationwide celebrations as thousands took to the streets to commemorate this declaration.

Major Opposing Groups:
- Extreme right factions, including:
- Traditional Communion of the Carlists:
  - Advocated for a theocracy ruled by warrior priests.
  - Enjoyed support from farmers in Navarre; had a militant militia known as the Requete, trained in Italy under Mussolini.
- Alfonsine Monarchists:
  - Loyalists to Alfonso XIII and Primo de Rivera, significant financiers of the extreme right, later influential in the Franco regime.
- Falange Espanola:
  - An amalgamation of various fascist movements under Jose Antonio Primo-de Rivera (son of the former dictator).
  - Financed by Mussolini; engaged in street violence to display the supposed chaos of the Republic.
General Francisco Franco (1892-1975):
- Became the dictator of Spain from 1939 to 1975.

European Fascism:
- Origin of the term "fascism" and its relation to Mussolini.
- Fascism manifests in various forms globally (e.g., Nazi Germany, Franco's Spain, Salazar's Portugal, etc.).
Definition of Fascism:
- Palingenetic Ultra-Nationalism:
- Greek for “rebirth,” where movements promote national resurgence from perceived decay.
- Characterized by desires for moral, political, and social regeneration.
- The vision of creating a new nation from the old appeals to a wide socioeconomic base.
- Fascist Framework:
- Negations: Anti-liberalism, anti-communism, and anti-conservatism.
- Goals:
  - Establishment of a nationalist dictatorship regulating economic structures and transforming social relations, with the aims of expansionist empire-building.
- Style:
  - Romantic symbolism alongside mass mobilization, a glorification of violence, promotion of masculinity, youth, and charismatic leadership.

Composition and Role:
- Consisted of diverse international volunteers fighting against fascism.
Mackenzie-Papineau Battalion:
- Assemblage of Canadians defying a 1937 prohibition on foreigners engaging in foreign conflicts, primarily composed of working-class Communists.
Abraham Lincoln Battalion:
- Containing ~2,800 US members, many were Communists and included a significant number of Black Americans.
- Suffered heavy casualties (~22% loss rate).
George Orwell's Reflection:
- Illustrated his romantic enthusiasm for fighting fascism alongside subsequent disillusionment regarding war and left-wing elements; pivotal in shaping his political ideology against totalitarian regimes.

Strategic Bombing Definition:
- Aerial bombardment executed to terrorize and undermine enemy morale.
- Early changes in military aviation led to full-scale implementations seen during WWII.
Gernika Bombing:
- Eyewitness account by George Steer highlighted the brutality of the Guernica bombing by German forces, emphasizing the destruction and impact on civilian life.
- Signaled a shift in warfare targeting non-combatants, describing a transition alarming to global observers.
Implications for Warfare:
- Established a precedent for total warfare where civilians became targets, resulting in permanent sociopolitical ramifications, culminating in expansive bombings seen at Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Picasso (1881-1973):
- Noted emblematic artist of the 20th century, took a keen interest in the Spanish Civil War, supporting the Republican faction.
- Reacted to the events, especially the attack on his hometown of Malaga and subsequently the bombing of Gernika through his work.
Creation of Guernica:
- Produced to honor and depict the horrors of the Gernika bombing; it stands as a monumental critique of modern warfare and as a powerful symbol of human suffering.
Exhibition:
- Showcased at the Spanish Pavilion during the 1937 Paris Universal Exposition.
Interpretations of Key Symbols:
- The presence of women and children signifies defenseless humanity; their portrayal reflects Picasso’s broader artistic commitment to representing innocence and vulnerability.
Art Critique:
- Art critic Rudolf Arnheim noted the significance of women and children in embodying mankind's essence.
- Art historian Patricia Failing discusses the recurring symbolism of the bull and horse in Spanish culture within Picasso’s oeuvre, complicating interpretation of their representation in Guernica.