SPAIN IN THE FIRST THIRD OF

TH
20 CENTURY
1902 - 1939
Crisis of Bourbon Restoration
• Unsatisfactory reforms: Bipartisanship continues.
• Conservatives: Led by Antonio Maura.
• Minor fiscal reform and regulation of worker’s right to strike.
• Liberals: Led by José Canalejas.
• Tried to reduce the influence of the church in social life.
• Laws to protect workers’s rights
• Creation of “Mancomunidad de Cataluña” first step in decentralisation
• “Caciquismo” and “pucherazo” continues.
• Social unrest increased:
• Tragic Week in 1909
• Assassination of Canalejas in 1912
Crisis of Bourbon Restoration
• Strengthening of the opposition:
• Republicans:
• Republican Union
• Radical Party
• Socialists:
• Strong in industrial areas: Basque Country, Asturias and Madrid.
• In 1921 its more revolutionary wing created the Communist Party of Spain (PCE)
• Nationalists:
• Consolidated in Catalonia (Lliga Regionalista)
• Basque Country (PNV)
The revolt of 1909: The tragic week
• Causes:
• Opposition to the recruitment of soldiers for the war in Morocco.
• Development:
• The wives of the soldiers arose and most people joined them (mainly
industrial workers)
• The rebellion became an anti-military and anti-clerical revolt.
• The army intervened to supress the revolt causing dozens of casualties.
• Hard repression on the leaders of the revolts: The famous teacher
Francisco Ferrer i Guardia was executed. causing an international
discredit of the Spanish government.
• Consequences:
• Execution of Ferrer i Guardia caused an international discredit of the
Spanish government.
• President Antonio Maura was forced to resign.
• Increased social unrest: Assassination of Canalejas in 1912
 The crisis of 1917
• Political tensions: The conservative government of Eduardo Dato
became authoritarian, he ruled by decree and often closed the
Cortes.
• Discontent in the Army: The system of promotion favoured soldiers Eduardo Dato

who had participated in the African campaigns. Conflict between

“Africanistas” and “Peninsulares”.
• Revolutionary movements: Living conditions worsened due to the
rise in prices as a consequence of the WWI. The CNT and UGT
called for a general strike.
 Dictatorship of Primo de Rivera
The king Alfonso XIII and Miguel Prmo de
• Causes: Rivera

• The Morocco problem:

• In the conference of Algeciras of 1906 Spain received a Protectorate in
the North of Morocco (The Rif)
• Spanish occupation was challenged by Berber tribes. Spanish army
suffered two humiliating defeats: “Barranco del Lobo” (1909) and the
“Disaster of Annual” (1921).
• Picasso Report: after the defeat of Annual, a commission was open to
investigate who was responsible. High officials and the Crown seemed
to be involved.
• Social Crisis:
• Strikes in industrial areas of Catalonia and peasants protests in
Andalusia.
• Hard repression:
• Armed groups against labour movement in Barcelona (Pistolerismo)
• Guardia Civil against peasants in Andalusia.
• Social war broke out: Prime minister Eduardo Dato was killed by an
anarchist in 1921.
Dictatorship of Primo de Rivera

• In 1923 General Primo de Rivera organised a coup:

• He had the consent and support of the king, industrial and landowners and
conservative politicians.
• Was presented as a solution to:
• Inefficiency of Parliamentarism
• Stop the rise of social protest movements
• First measures:
• Suspended the Constitution and dissolved the Cortes.
• Political parties and unions were banned. Except the “Patriotic Union”
• Reduction of individual freedoms, especially freedom of press.
• Suppression of “Mancomunidad of Catalonia”, and nationalist parties in Catalonia
and Basque Country.
• Public use of Catalan and Basque languages was banned.
Dictatorship of Primo de Rivera
• Economic measures:
• Took advantage of international economic boom
• Program of public works: roads, canals and ports.
• Creation of public companies: Telefónica and Campsa.
• Miltary achievments:
• Alhucemas landing in 1925, ended the conflict in Morocco and effective
control over the protectorate.
 Dictatorship of Primo de Rivera: Crisis of 1930 - 1931
• Negative context of international economic crisis (Crash of 1929)
• Opposition to dictatorship grew: Socialists, Republicans,
Nationalists…
• An important sector of the army removed its support to Primo de
Rivera.
• Old, sick and without supports, Primo de Rivera presented to the
king his resignation.
The “Dictablanda” period:
• General Berenguer was appointed head of the government by
Alfonso XIII with the objective to return to the previous system.
• All the political parties that opposed the dictatorship singed in
August of 1930 the Pact of San Sebastian: demanding democratic
elections and the establishment of a republic.
• In 1931, Admiral Aznar replaced General Berenguer as head of the Assistants to the Pact of San
government. He called for municipal elections on 12 April 1931. Sebastian: Republicans, socialists
and nationalists.
The Second Spanish Republic
• Municipal election on 12 April 1931 ere seen as choice between
monarchy and republic.
• Monarchist obtained greater number of councillors, however
Republican parties won in large cities and industrial regions.
• Alfonso XIII considered the republican victory a desire of political
change an fled the country.
• On April 14 1931 the Second Spanish Republic was proclaimed.
The Provisional Government and Constituent Cortes: April – June 1931
• First measures:
• Legalised political parties and Trade Unions
• Amnesty for political prisoners
• Creation of a provisional “Generalitat” in Catalonia
• Broad social laws: 8-hour working day, minimum wage,
social insurances…
• Problems:
• Fierce opposition of right wing parties and upper classes.
• Extreme left wing demonstrations calling for a social
revolution: Convents were set on fire and anarchists called
for worker’s strikes.
• First elections for constituent Cortes:
• Held in June 1931, Republican-Socialist coalition won.
• The major task to draft a constitution: Finished and
approved in December of 1931.
The Reformist biennium: June 1931 – November 1933
• The Republican-Socialist coalition undertook a programme of reforms with the
objective of the modernisation of the state.
• Oppositions:
• Upper classes: land owners, high clergy, a sector of the army and conservative
classes. Were afraid of losing their privileges.
• Revolutionary movements: Considered that the changes were too slow.
Wanted to make a social revolution.
• Most important measures:
• Reform of the army: Reduced the over-staffed officiality and promote an
efficient institution loyal to the Republic.
• Separation of church and state: Reduce the Church’s influence on public
education.
• Decentralisation of the government: Recognition historical nationalities
with own language and identity, allowed the development of Statutes of
Autonomy (Catalonia, Basque Country and Galicia)
• Land Reform:
• Government decreed a egalitarian land distribution to avoid the concentration
in few rich landowners.
• Creation of the Institute of Agrarian Reform: To expropriate not cultivated
latifundia and distribute among landless peasants.
• Government found many difficulties: Shortage of resources to compensate
landowners and many lawsuits of the landowners, slowed down the reform
and caused the despair of peasants.
The end of the Reformist Biennium:
• Republican government faced two blocs of opposition:
• Conservative classes: Landowners, hierarchy of Catholic Church, upper
classes and a sector of the Army: Accused the government of lack of control.
• In 1932 General Sanjurjo tried a military coup, which failed.
• Left-wing groups:
• Slowness of the land reform angered day-labourers and workers, anarchist unions
called for armed insurrections.
• Uprisings of Alto Llobregat (Barcelona) and Casas Viejas (Cádiz) were extremely violent
and severely repressed by the police.
• The incident of Casas Viejas provoked a deep crisis in the republican government:
• PSOE withdraw their support for the government
• Azaña resigned as a head of the government and the President Alcalá Zamora called for
new elections in November 1933.

Peasants killed in Casas Viejas

after the intervention of the
Police.
The conservative Biennium (1933 – 1935)
• In the elections of November 1933 the right-wing parties joined a
coalition called CEDA (Confederación Española de Derechas
Autonomas) with catholic and conservative ideology, led by José María
Gil Robles.
• On the other hand, Left-wing Republicans appeared divided.
• CEDA won the elections followed by the Radical Party (Centralists):
• It resulted in a parliamentary coalition (CEDA + Radical Party) headed by
Alejandro Lerroux from the Radical Party.
• President Alcalá Zamora ordered Alejandro Lerroux the formation of a “Pure
republican government”, as a result no members of the CEDA entered in the
government, but they had the control in the parliament.

Electoral propaganda of CEDA in Madrid

Alejandro Lerroux, President of the
Government 1933-1936
The conservative Biennium (1933 – 1935)
• Measures:
• Stop the majority of the economic and social policies
introduced in the Reformist Biennium.
• Problems:
• The entry of CEDA ministers into the government
provoked strong opposition form left-wing parties
and unions:
• Revolution of Asturias: Led by socialists and
communists, declared social revolution and occupied the
mining area.
• Catalan secessionism: The president of the Generlitat,
Luis Companys proclaimed the Catalan State within the
Spanish Federal Republic.
• Both, movements in Asturias and Catalonia were hardly
repressed by the army.
• Corruption scandals: Members of the Radical Party were
involved in various scandals, as a result the CEDA
withdraw its support and the president called for Catalan Government
elections in February 1936. imprisoned, accused of
rebellion.
 The Popular Front (1936 – 1939)
• Left-wing parties ran for elections in a coalition called “Popular
Front” and supported by anarchists, they proposed:
• Amnesty for prisoners of the Asturias revolution and Catalonia
• Retake the reforms of 1931, abolished by the conservative government.
• Right-Wing parties:
• Made a coalition with central parties in the majority of provinces.
• Proposed the maintenance of the counter-reformist program and to
amend the constitution.
• The Popular Front won the elections by a narrow margin:
• Azaña was appointed as new President of the Republic.
• The Reform Program was accelerated, especially the land reform.
• The Generalitat was re-established and began the creation of Statutes of
Autonomy for the Basque Country and Galicia.
• At the same time, general of the army suspected of rebellion were moved
far away from Madrid. (Franco, Mola and Goded)
 Spanish Civil War: Episode I. The coup of July.
• International context: Uprising of Fascism in Europe, economic crisis and
spread of revolutionary movements influenced by the Soviet Union.
• Polarisation of Spanish society:
• Conservative sectors: Opposed the reforms of the government and the process of
democratisation. Had the support of an important sector of the army officials, Deputy José Calvo
and began to organise a coup d'état. Sotelo killed.
• Extreme left-wing groups: Anarchists, communists and high number of socialist,
defended the idea of a social revolution.
• The “spark” of the conflict:
• José Castillo, Lieutenant of the Republican Guard and militant socialist, was
assassinated by extreme right-wing forces.
• José Calvo Sotelo, monarchist deputy was assassinated by left-wing militias in
retaliation for the death of José Castillo.
• The military uprising:
• Began on 17th of July in North Africa, on 18 and 19 July spread to Canary Islands,
Balearic Islands and some territories of the peninsula: Galicia, Castile, León,
Navarra and Aragón.
• It failed in eastern coast, south and central Spain, large cities and industrial areas.
• The Republic had the support of some police forces a section of the army and
popular classes.
• The rebel generals: Franco, Mola, Goded, Quiepo de Llano… didn’t accept the
failure of the coup and decided to continue with the uprising against the
Republic: The war had begun.
 Text analysis:
• “Hay y puede haber en España todos los fascistas que se quiera, pero
un régimen fascista no habrá. Si triunfa un movimiento de fuerza
contra la república recaeríamos en una dictadura militar y eclesiástica
de tipo tradicional: Sables, sotanas, desfiles y homenajes a la Virgen del
Pilar. Por este lado (el de las derechas), el país no da para otra cosa”.

Manuel Azaña, “Diario” 1937.

• Who was the author of the text? Explain its historical relevance.
• What is his opinion about the triumph of the fascism in Spain?
• In what historical context was this text written?
• Do you consider the prediction of Azaña right? Reason your answer.
Spanish Civil War: Episode II. The opposing sides
• The Republic:
• Lack of an efficient army:
• In July 1936 the Republican government armed the Popular Front members and union of
workers
• CNT-FAI (Anarchists) and UGT (Socialists) took advantage of the situation and carry out a
revolutionary process which include repression on rebel sympathisers: arrests, executions and
burning of churches.

• Government instability:
• Three prime ministers during the war:
• José Giral: tried to convinced the rebel army to withdraw. He didn’t achieved it.
• Largo Caballero: (PSOE):ordered the union of all the workers militias and created the Popular Army.
• Juan Negrín: Put the last peace proposal to Franco, called the “13 points” which were rejected by the
rebels.

• Political disunion:
• Anarchists and Trotskyists defended the priority of a social revolution.
• Republicans, socialists and communists defended the priority of the war’s victory.
• Confrontations between these visions arose triggering armed conflicts inside the republican
side.

• Scarce international aid:

• European democracies decided a non-intervention policy in Spain.
• International Brigades: volunteers form over 50 countries who joined the Republican side to
defend the advanced of fascisim.
• Soviet Union: Supported the Republican Government with weapons and soldiers.
Spanish Civil War: Episode II. The opposing sides
• Nationalist rebels:
• The military rebels had the support of: Catholic church,
Conservatives, Carlists, Monarchists and Falangists.
• Their objective: The end of the Republic and the creation of a
totalitarian state.
• Organisation:
• Board of National Defence (Junta de Defensa Nacional): Made up of the
rebel generals with San Jurjo, Mola and Franco as the principals.
• December 1936 Franco was appointed head of the State, after the deaths
of San Jurjo and Mola in aircraft accidents.
• April 1937: Creation of the single party FET-JONS. Union of Falange
Española with traditionalists.
• Burgos was set up as provisional capital of the state during the war.
• The nationalist government prohibited all political parties (except FET-
JONS), annulled the Constitution and all of the republican reforms.
• International support:
• Italy, Germany and Portugal had totalitarian regimes which supported
Franco’s army since the beginning of the war.
• Nazi aircraft was especially valuable and proved its terrific power in the
Spanish civil War (Condor Legion)
Text analysis
• “Ustedes no saben lo que han hecho, porque no le conocen como yo,
que le tuve a mis ordenes en África (…) si como quieren, va a darsele
en estos momentos España, va a creerse que es suya y no dejará que
nadie le sustituya en la guerra ni después de ella, hasta su muerte”.
General Cabanellas. 1936

• Who is Cabanellas talking about?

• In what historical context can we place this words?
Spanish Civil War: Episode III The military stages
• 1st The battle of Madrid (August 1936 – March 1937)
• Rebel troops aimed the conquest of the capital:
• From the North: General Mola’s troops tried to enter in Madrid, but they
were stopped in Sierra de Guadarrama by the Republican Army, the Militias
and International Brigades.
• From the south: General Franco advanced through Extremadura and Toledo.
Franco gained Toledo but was unable to enter in Madrid after the Battle of
Jarama and Guadalajara.
• Franco, recently proclaimed “Generalissimo”, decided to move the front to
other regions.
• The Republican government was moved to Valencia looking for a safer
place to manage the war.
• 2nd The battle of the north (April – October 1937)
• Rebel army victories:
• With the Nazi aircraft support (Condor Legion), they bombed and conquered
Basque Country Santander and Asturias.
• The industrial and mining regions fell into the hands of the rebels.
• Republican counter-offensive:
• Generals Miaja and Rojo attacked the Franco’s army in Brunete (Madrid) and
Belchite (Zaragoza)
• They obtained small territorial advances but, couldn’t break the enemy lines.
 1
Examples of
archaeological remains of
Spanish Civil War in Sierra
de Madrid:

1. “Posición Lince” in
Torrelodones

2. “Posición Rubio” (Las

Rozas)

3. Bunker of
Navalcarbón (Las
Rozas)

3
 Spanish Civil War: Episode III The military stages
• 3rd stage: The battle of the Ebro and the end of the
war.
• Battle of Teruel: February 1938 Franco’s troops occupied
Teruel and advanced over Castellón, isolating Catalonia.
• Battle of the Ebro: July - October 1938.
• The Republican Army launched its last offensive in Tarragona.
• Initial success of the Republican Army was rapidly turned into a
long and bloody battle.
• Franco’s troops eventually expelled the Republican Army.
• November 1938: Catalonia was taken by the “Nationals”
only Madrid and the South-East of Spain resisted.
• On 1 April 1939: The republican Army surrendered,
Franco broadcasted the announcement of the end of the
war.
 Consequences of the war
• Demographic:
• Loss of population: around 500.000 dead + drop of birth rate + loss of young population.
• Exile and refugees: 450.000 people left their homes and went into exile. The vast majority
moved to France, also Latin America received thousands of exiled. On the northern front
about 3.000 children were moved to the USSR and never returned they were known as the
“Children of Russia”.
• Economic:
• Destruction of dwellings, infrastructure, transport and industrial network.
• Agricultural production was greatly reduced provoked food shortage and famine in several
regions of Spain.
• Political:
• Destruction of democracy and the establishment of an authoritarian military dictatorship.
• End of all the democratic rights and liberties.
• Social:
• Division between winners and losers maintained throughout the Franco regime which
opposed reconciliation between Spaniards and hindered the national cohesion.
• Persecution and repression: were held in both sides during the war against civilian population.
• In the republican areas: “Sacas” and “Paseos” carried aout by the radical revolutionary groups. Republican
government always tried to control these retaliatory executions.
• In the Nationalist zone: Persecution was institutionalised against all those who supported the Republic or
not expressed their loyalty to the new regime. The repression continued until the death of Franco.