THE CIVIL WAR (1936-39) AND AFTER The Beginning of the Civil War.—Everywhere garrisons re volted : in the south, Seville, Cordoba, Granada and C5.diz sup ported the rebels; in the north, the whole of Galicia, most of Le6n and part of Asturias, with Burgos (for three years the Nationalist "capital"), Salamanca, Valladolid, Segovia, Pam plona and Saragossa. Both in Madrid and in Barcelona the mutinies failed and the government began the war with the whole of the east and most of the south of Spain in its possession. The Na tionalists (as they called themselves, claiming that theirs was no mere pronunciamiento but a movimiento national) lost several outstanding men early, notably Generals Sanjurjo and Mola, killed in aeroplane crashes, and General Goded, shot after the unsuccess ful rising in Barcelona (July 19, 1936). On the other hand, they had the bulk of the army, of armed police and of the army's war material. The Popular Front had only untrained or partially trained men and such arms as the Unions had been storing, for what purpose they themselves best knew. It took them a long time to turn their rudimentary militia into an efficient army and by that time the Nationalists had greatly improved their positions.
Sr. Casares Quiroga resigned on the outbreak of war and Presi dent Azaria, choosing a moderate man, Sr. Martinez Barrio, as his successor, found his choice vetoed by the leaders of the extremist groups with which he was still in alliance. The "strong man" was compelled to surrender. From July 19, 1936, until his resignation in February 1939, he became a mere figure-head; the govern ment, chosen in contravention of the constitution, lost its claim to legality; and the constitution itself (a "paper constitution," as one responsible minister openly termed it) was no longer taken seri ously.
By the end of July 1936, foreign intervention had begun. The Russian Council of Trade Unions made the Republicans a first payment of £479,000; both Russia and Mexico began to send them war material; extremist volunteers (mainly Communists) from many countries entered Spain in large numbers and formed an International Brigade. The Nationalists received combatants, technicians and large supplies of war material from Italy and Germany. Realizing the danger of this intervention, France ap
proached the leading Powers; formal embargoes were placed on the export of war material; and a Non-Intervention Committee, representing 27 nations, was set up in London. Intervention, none the less, continued throughout the War.
In mid-August, by taking Badajoz, the Nationalists were able to unite their northern with their southern army, and while the former took Irim and San Sebastian in early September, the latter advanced rapidly upon Madrid. But for its having to make a de tour to relieve the garrison imprisoned in the Toledo Alcazar (September 27) Madrid would probably have fallen by that date. The delay allowed the International Brigade to be moved up in force before the Nationalists could penetrate the capital (Novem ber 6), and instead of witnessing a triumphal entry the Madrilenos had to face a 28-months' siege.
Especially in its early stages, the war was marked by a ruth lessness on both sides which astounded Europe. For deliberate atrocities, however, the Republicans must be allowed to have the blacker record. Not only were churches burned or desecrated and public religious observances forbidden throughout Republican Spain, but ten bishops and many thousands of priests, religious and devout lay folk were murdered, for no political activity or crime, in cold blood.
After the fall of Irim, a stronger Government, including both Socialists and Communists as well as the Republican parties, was formed under Don Francisco Largo Caballero. When the capital was threatened, this government was enlarged so as to include Anarcho-Syndicalists, and moved to Valencia, leaving Madrid in charge of a Defence Council presided over by General Miaja. President Azaila had left some weeks previously for Barcelona. Here the Generalitat government was allowed to retain nominal power and to take over services which the Autonomy Statute had allotted to the State, but the real power belonged to the Unions, which collectivized industry and commerce (Oct. 28, 1936) and were responsible for the ban on public worship which continued until the Republicans were beaten.