Which war was fought between 1936 and 1939?

The Spanish Civil War was fought between 17th July 1936 and 1st April 1939, lasting 2 years, 8 months, 2 weeks and 1 day. It divided Spain into Republican and Nationalist supporters. The Republicans received support from the Soviet Union and Mexico, and the Nationalists were backed by Italy and Nazi Germany. Over one million people died during the conflict.

By the end of the 19th century, Spain had gone from being a monarchy to being a republic, and back to a monarchy again. This left much of the population divided over how they thought the country should be run. Amongst fears of military dictatorships and communism, many Spaniards still wanted things to change.

In 1931, Spain became a republic again, led by Niceto Alcalá-Zamora. Over the following years, many workers went on strike and any attempts to calm the situation made things worse. In July 1936, the rebellions evolved into a civil war.

As well as fighting amongst themselves, the additional support of Adolf Hitler (Germany), Benito Mussolini (Italy) and António de Oliveira Salazar (Portugal), turned the war into a wider struggle between fascists, communists and liberals. Other countries felt compelled to support those with similar ideals to their own by providing aid and supplies.

By 1939, Spanish nationalists held the upper hand and were declared the victors on 1st April. The dictatorial general Francisco Franco took over as head of state until his death in 1975.