Notes Guide: Spanish Civil War

All of the following questions have appeared on IB Paper Two exams over the past decade or so:

Analyse the causes of either the Spanish Civil War (1936–1939) or the Falklands/Malvinas War (1982). (Nov 2010)

Analyse the reasons for, and the results of, either the Spanish Civil War (1936–1939) or the Chinese Civil War (1946–1949). (May 2010, TZ1)

Analyse the principal causes of either the Algerian War (1954-1962) or the Spanish Civil War. (May 2010, TZ2)

To what extent did foreign involvement affect the outcome of either the Spanish Civil War, or the Vietnam War? (May 2009)

Analyse the causes of one of the following: the Spanish Civil War (1936–1939); the Arab-Israeli wars (1948/9 and 1956); the Nigerian Civil War (1967–1970). (Nov 2008)

Examine the impact of foreign intervention on either the Chinese Civil War or the Spanish Civil War. (May 2007)

Compare and contrast the reasons for, and impact of, foreign involvement in two of the following: Russian Civil War; Spanish Civil War; Korean War. (Nov 2006) - nb. Russian civil war is no longer a 'named example' so will not come up in an exam question now.

Analyse the causes of either the Spanish Civil War or the Korean War. (May 2006) Examine the impact of foreign intervention on either the Chinese Civil War or the Spanish Civil

War. (May 2005) “War causes more suffering to women than to men.” “War liberates women.” Using evidence from

at least two wars, explain which statement you consider is more appropriate. (May 2003) To what extent has any twentieth century war changed the role of women? (May 2004) Evaluate the role of ideological differences in two civil wars, each chosen from a different region.

(May 1999)

As you can see, the Spanish Civil War is a frequently-asked-about topic, but the questions tend to focus on a few specific areas – in this case, causes and involvement. The war also provides many good examples for answering questions about effects on women and the impact of ideology.

Working in small groups over the next two days, you will research some of these topics in greater detail, then share and discuss your findings with your colleagues as you complete the attached worksheets. On Friday, your group will select one of these note sheets to be turned in; another will be selected randomly. Both will be scored out of 25 points (for completeness, historical accuracy, and depth of analysis), then the two scores averaged to find a group grade – in other words, it would behoove you to make sure everyone is working, lest a slacker’s grade undermines your own.

It must have been three days after the Barcelona fighting ended that we returned to the front. After the fighting–more particularly after the slanging-match in the newspapers–it was difficult to think about this war in quite the same naively idealistic manner as before. I suppose there is no one who spent more than a few weeks in Spain without being in some degree disillusioned. My mind went back to the newspaper correspondent whom I had met my first day in Barcelona, and who said to me: ‘This war is a racket the same as any other.’ The remark had shocked me deeply, and at that time (December, 1936) I do not believe it was true; it was not true even now, in May (1937); but it was becoming truer. The fact is that every war suffers a kind of progressive degradation with every month that it continues, because such things as individual liberty and a truthful press are simply not compatible with military efficiency.

~ George Orwell, Homage to Catalonia (1938)

Spanish Civil War Your Name: __________________________________

Note-Taking Guide Group Member: _______________________________

Group Member: _______________________________

Class Period: ____ Group Member: _______________________________

This sheet should be completed and ready for possible turn-in on Friday, December 4

As a group, discuss and make notes:

• In what ways are “national wars” different from civil wars?

• What were the main long-term causes of the Spanish Civil War?

• What were the main short-term causes of the Spanish Civil War?

• Define the two sides in the Spanish Civil War by filling in the chart below

Republicans Nationalists

Leader(s)

Political Parties/Groups

ForeignAid

For the following questions, you don’t need a detailed chronology – just the highlights or important events that affected the overall course and outcome of the war

• What were the main events of the Spanish Civil War in 1936?

• What were the main events of the Spanish Civil War in 1937?

• What were the main events of the Spanish Civil War in 1938?

• What were the main events of the Spanish Civil War in 1939?

Course and Practice of the War

The reading packet includes selections from JAS Grenville (center/center-right) and Eric Hobsbawm (leftist/Marxist). Consider these questions in light of BOTH readers:

Why did the war start?

Why did the fascists win/Republicans lose?

What role was played by foreign powers, and with what effects?

Foreign Intervention and Non-Intervention

This packet is a mix of primary and secondary sources. As you answer the questions, consider the sources themselves.

Which nations intervened on which side in the war, and what was the extent of their intervention?

How did Hitler justify German intervention?

Why did Britain and France not intervene? To what extent did the US intervene?

What was the overall effect of the Spanish Civil War on international politics?

Women

These are two longer secondary sources; the first provides a leftist/anarchist perspective, the other a more centrist (but still fairly left-leaning) view.

Consider the two questions related to women from the first page:

“War causes more suffering to women than to men.” “War liberates women.” Using evidence from at least two wars, explain which statement you consider is more appropriate. (May 2003) (you only need to make notes in regards to the Spanish Civil War)

To what extent has any twentieth century war changed the role of women? (May 2004) (use examples from the Spanish Civil War and the readers)

Arti sts & Writers; Guernica

Cunningham’s book is a collection of various authors’ perceptions of the Spanish Civil War; the section in the reader is from a survey sent to British writers and intellectuals during the war. The primary sources relate to the attack on Guernica by the German Condor Legion in 1937.

What common trends can you perceive in the various reactions of the British intellectuals? Why might this be?

Consider the arguments of the “Neutral?” and the “Against the Government” writers, especially the one from Evelyn Waugh. To what extent do these arguments reflect the wider trend toward non-interventionism?

Guernica

The May, 2008, Paper 2 asked: “Even in the twentieth century, the term ‘total war’ could not be applied to any war. To what extent do you agree with this judgment?” Using evidence specifically related to the bombing of Guernica, show how you would respond to this prompt.