Presenting...

The Spanish Civil War

Created by...

Nick Shivka

Block 4 Mr.Rozell

“In war, no one is innocent, everyone is a combatant, everyone a target.”

-General Erich Ludendorff

-prior to the Spanish Civil War

Monday, April 26, 1937

3:45 P.M.

German aircraft are warming up for their next mission: to blow the land bridge near a town called Guernica

Who would guess they would hit their intended target...

...and more...

Monday, April 26, 1937

4:30 P.M.

The Condor Legion of aircraft commanded by General Wolfram von Ricthofen attack the bridge, and the town of Guernica on this Monday, a holiday. Civilians are killed as well...

…...mission accomplished

“Guernica”

Painted by Pablo Picasso

Such is the after math of this most heinous attack on the town. One third of the population was slaughtered by explosions and strafing machine guns, and 70 percent of the town was destroyed.

The Me-109 was the mainstay of the German Luftwaffe. Making it’s debut in September of 1935, it broke land speed records and could be outfitted with bombs.

It had a maximum speed of 358 mph.

Only flown during the last year of the war, the Fw190 still proved itself worthy. Fitted with a Junkers 1776 HP engine, it could fly at 400+ mph, and had a tighter turning circle than any other German fighter of that time.

This was the most innovative aircraft the Germans had to offer starting 1936. It was a dive bomber that boasted an accuracy of 5 meters to it’s intended target. This airplane was the most feared during the bombing raids on the Republic.

The happenings at Guernica were just a small part of the bloody Civil War that was going on in Spain.

What started as a military uprising in Morocco, morphed into a full fledged revolt led by General Francisco Franco.

General Francisco Franco

Two Opposing Forces and Their Beliefs

• ~The Republicans~• Supported Liberal

reforms-had support of Communists (land re-distribution) –this was a democratically elected gov’t!

• Fought for monarchy, separation of church and state, and anti-militarization.

• Led by Largo Caballero

• ~The Nationalists Liked traditional church structure, large military cliques

• Was a foe of democracy and socialism.

• Led by General Francisco Franco

*Watch the picture…it moves!*

The Green represents the forces led by Franco.

Blue represents the Republic

Franco asked the Germans to aid him in destroying the republic with his force of nacionales.

Adolph Hitler Francisco Franco

Other countries

• Italy and Germany aided Franco, by supplying volunteers and aircraft

• Russia aided the Republic with a huge amount of war supplies

• France and Great Britain didn’t want European conflagration, so...

Non-intervention pact

• This was an agreement drawn up by France and Britain in August of 1936. 27 countries signed it, including Italy, Germany, and the U.S.S.R, all of which did not keep their promise to stay out.

The Abraham Lincoln Brigade was a company of about 2,800 American soldiers devoted to fighting with the Republic against Franco. Their motto was “Keep Madrid the tomb of Fascism”. They also fought with other countries.

The Spanish Civil War is known as the “Dress Rehearsal” for WWII because it was time in which new weapons and technologies could be tested for use. The Spanish Civil War ended in 1939, the same year WWII started.

Once the Republic had been exhausted of its resources and fighting men, the Republican exile began with the Spaniards fleeing across the border into France, the war would soon end, and Franco would be the one to do it.

The last city resisting was Madrid. The Republicans moved suspicious generals away from the capital because they could not take a chance of the capital falling into the Nationalists hands.

Map of the battle of Madrid

The bold white lines were roads and routes leading to and from the city. General Franco’s forces took advantage of this and toppled the city

April 1, 1939

Madrid, Spain

General Francisco Franco took the capital of Madrid two days before. He ended the war today. Thus starting the set up of a fascist dictatorship in Spain under General Francisco Franco, which would last until his death in 1975!

THE END

Http://www.sispain.org/english/history/civil.html

Most of the chronological info, Accessed 5/29/03

Timelines and day by day analysis of the Spanish Civil War

Http://www.google.com

Images and pictures, Accessed 5/29-5/30

~Nick Shivka’s mind.com

For aircraft information and creation of assigned PowerPoint, accessed 5/28-5/30

A vast and endless chasm of knowledge

~A Handbook of Fighter Aircraft, by: Francis Crosby

Some aircraft info, used 5/30

Aircraft ranging from the Wright brothers to the thurst vectored aircraft

of the future

~http://www.pbs.org/treasuresoftheworld/a_nav/guernica_nav/gnav_level_1/1bombing_guerfrm.html

For info on Guernica, accesed 6/3/03

Thanks to Mr. Rozell for another opportunity to hone my skills in the fine art of Powerpointing, and my mind in the knowledge of the Spanish Civil War.