How did the Spanish Civil War involve combatants from other countries?
1 Answer
The Spanish Civil War became preview of World War 2. A battle between ideologies or left and right.
Explanation:
The elected Republican Government was a spectrum of Communists and Socialists. The opposition was an alliance of the Spanish Military and Conservative elements. The Military was a coup d'etat of the elected leftist Government.
International support broke left and right respectively. Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy supporting the Spanish Military Coup. The Soviet Union and Mexico supported the Republican Government. The United States, France, and United Kingdom recognized the Republican Government but held to an embargo of the country.
Many Western leftists joined with the Republican forces as private individuals. Many were blocked. The embargo effected the leftists more than the Fascists. Germany and Italy had shorter distances to travel, and fewer obstacles with weapons, men, and supplies. Many German aircrew flew for the Spanish rightists. Germany and Italy sent actual members of their armed forces undercover. The War was a valuable training ground.
The Fascists won and there were purges afterward. Franco the new leader of Spain owed Hitler a debt but managed to stay neutral though World War 2. He supplied the Spanish Blue Division to Hitler's Russian invasion.
