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What was the Spanish Civil War about?

The Spanish Civil War (1936–39) was a conflict that pitted nationalists against loyalists in a struggle for control of Spain. The nationalists opposed the second Spanish republic, which was established in 1931 after the fall of the monarchy, and the social reforms that the government was trying the implement. The loyalists, on the other hand, supported the republican reforms and resisted the nationalists' efforts to regain control of the government. The nationalists consisted of aristocrats (nobles), military leaders, Roman Catholic clergy, and the political group called the Falange Party. They were supported by Nazi Germany under Adolf Hitler (1889-1945) and Fascist Italy under Benito Mussolini (1883–1945). The loyalists consisted of liberals, Socialists, and Communists supported by the Soviet Union under Joseph Stalin (1879–1953). In an effort to defeat the nationalists,...

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