Spanish History: Interwar Period to Civil War

Período Entreguerras

Restoration

• WW1 Context:
  • Spain remained neutral during WW1, leading to economic benefits through foodstuff exports.
  • German unrestricted submarine warfare resulted in the sinking of Spanish ships, causing resentment.
  • Spain signed contracts with the Allies, but the population was divided in their support.
• Reasons for Neutrality:
  • Failed Republic attempt led to the Restoration (1874) with Alfonso XII as king.
  • Constitutional monarchy established, with conservative Antonio Cánovas and liberal Práxedes Sagasta influencing politics.
  • The army was kept out of politics, and general votes were introduced.
  • King Alfonso XII's death in 1885 led to his wife María Christina taking charge.

El Turnismo

• Definition:
  • Turnismo (1879-1923) was a political period characterized by alternating governments between conservatives and liberals.
  • Also known as turno pacífico (peaceful shift).
  • The monarch, not elections, determined parliament composition, leading to predetermined election results every 2-3 years.
• Consequences:
  • The period was marked by corruption and electoral fraud, destabilizing and impoverishing the country.
  • Loss of Spanish colonies (Puerto Rico, Cuba, Philippines) to the US after the defeat of 1898 (el desastre de 1898).
  • Failed military campaign in the Rif (northern Morocco), culminating in the Annual defeat of 1921 (el desastre de Annual) with many casualties.
• Social Unrest:
  • Worker protests and strikes increased due to the regime favoring upper classes, economic stagnation, rising inflation, and low wages.
  • Socialists, communists, and anarchists gained popularity.
• Coup d’état:
  • Political instability led to Miguel Primo de Rivera's coup d’état in 1923.

The Rif War

• Background:
  • Began with Spanish army expansion in the Rif region in 1909.
  • Motivated by rebuilding the Spanish Empire and extracting iron ore.
  • The campaign faced setbacks due to untrained military personnel and corruption-riddled provision lines.
• Disaster of Annual:
  • The Spanish Army suffered a significant loss near Annual in July 1921, with approximately 13,000 casualties.
  • The government's attempt to conceal the tragedy failed, leading to the launch of el expediente Picasso (the Picasso file).
  • The investigation revealed corruption in the military, implicating the parliament and the king.
• Aftermath:
  • Miguel Primo de Rivera's coup d’état in 1923 halted judicial action and discussions of accountability.
  • The war continued until France joined Spain in 1925, leading to the surrender of rebel leader Abd el-Krim in 1926.
  • Miguel Primo de Rivera was praised for resolving the decade-long conflict.

Dictatorship of Primo de Rivera

Biography

• Born on January 8, 1870, in Cádiz, Spain; died on March 16, 1930, in Paris.
• Graduated from the General Military Academy in Toledo in 1888.
• Served in Morocco, Cuba, and the Philippines.
• Appointed military governor of Cádiz in 1915 and captain general of Valencia in 1919.
• Suppressed disorder in Barcelona by 1922 and led a coup d'état in September 1923, dissolving the Cortes (parliament) and suspending constitutional guarantees.
• His government struggled to gain middle-class support and imposed restrictions on liberties in Catalonia.
• Reliance on the landlord class hindered agrarian reforms, leading to the decline of his regime.

Coup d'État

• Led a coup d'état between September 13 and 15, 1923, resulting in a military dictatorship.
• Aimed to unify the nation under the motto “Country, Religion, Monarchy,” but ultimately failed to establish an acceptable political system.
• King Alfonso XIII appointed Rivera as the new head of government. The coup encountered minimal resistance, needing only the backing of several high-ranking military officers.

Definition of Dictatorship

• A form of government in which one person or a small group holds absolute power without constitutional checks or limitations.
• The term