The Spanish Civil War was an army rebellion led by General Franco.
It lasted from 17/7/1936 to 1/4/1939.
Then political life was polarized, when the monarchy was abolished and the Left and pro-Soviets came to power. Their purpose was to redistribute the land and limit the power of the Church. Their power was mainly in the cities.
On the other side was the army that supported Christian civilization and was made up of royalists. Their power was the peasants, the rich and the Church. They still had support from Fascist Italy and Nazi Germany. They had superior numbers of men and better quality weaponry.
First the army mutinied in Morocco and other colonies and then inside the country.
Atrocities were committed by both sides although the victims of the Left were more. The Left massacred clergy and set fire to churches and monasteries. The Nationalists carried out mass purges of opponents and bombings with airplanes.
Finally Franco’s army prevailed and imposed a dictatorship. This dictatorship ended with his death in 1975 and the country then became a democracy.
[Source: http://www.sansimera.gr]
