Why did the Nationalists win the Civil War?

Why did the Nationalists win the civil war?

The Civil War, breaking out in 1936, was victoriously won by the Nationalists in 1939. The Right were especially strong due to their strong leader Franco and huge help from Foreign intervention, while the left lost due to their lack of unity and weak foreign intervention. This essay will explore how each factor meant the rebels won in 1939 and took control of Spain.

One factor helping the Nationalists win was the fact that the Left were completed divided. The internal fighting of the Left was between the POUM and the *** (mainly anarchists) against the Liberals, Socialists and Communists. They had different ideologies, beliefs of what to do with Spain and different ways to govern a country. In Barcelona (in Catalonia) the *** took control and imposed Marxist rule, such as industry collectivised, replaced money with vouchers and businesses controlled by committees. Meanwhile, in Madrid the government still had control and only 30% of industry was collectivised. In 1937, the Republican regained control in Catalonia and the Trotskyite culture was dissolved. Internal fighting of the two sides of the Left began, which hugely weakened them. Not only did they lose many of their fighters by killing POUM members but it also depressed the Lefts’ morale in fighting the Civil War. This massively weakened the Left forces so helped the Right defeat them. When the nationalists won in 1939 by capturing Madrid, due to the war within a war, no fighting was necessary. This shows how the divisions of the left helped the nationalists win as they didn't even have to have strength to manage to try to defend themselves from their opposition capturing the capital of Spain.

Foreign intervention was the most important factor to help the Nationalists win the Civil War; the Right had regular and good quality aid from Germany, Italy, and Portugal, while the Left for weak and costly aid from France, Russia and international brigades,…