- Joined
- Feb 24, 2014
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I was watching an old British documentary about it and learned a lot of surprising new things I didnt know before. The previous stuff I knew basically painted the Republic as the good guys who were fighting fascism, but the reality was more complex.
Like the new Republic after the monarchy's downfall was filled with radicals like communists, anarchists, and socialists who could barely form a government. Anarchists refused to participate and tried to fend off for themselves. Land owners were being forced out without compensation and sometimes even being killed. Churches looted and closed while nuns were attacked and killed. Jails being emptied and criminals taking revenge against cops and judges. The whole country had basically become lawless.
The reactionaries only began to rebel when they felt threatened to lose their estates and the Church sided with them after being banned. Franco was eventually chosen as the leader of the coalition even though he wasnt fascist and had the fascist leadership killed and he took over the party- he was a monarchist and dictator but never applied fascist principles when he came to power.
The Republic was never unified and their army never had a central command- their soldiers would hold debates before they followed orders from officers. Although Germany and Italy did lend a hand to the rebellion, the overriding factor why the Republic lost in the battlefield was because they were never united and constantly fighting each other.
All in all, quite interesting.
Like the new Republic after the monarchy's downfall was filled with radicals like communists, anarchists, and socialists who could barely form a government. Anarchists refused to participate and tried to fend off for themselves. Land owners were being forced out without compensation and sometimes even being killed. Churches looted and closed while nuns were attacked and killed. Jails being emptied and criminals taking revenge against cops and judges. The whole country had basically become lawless.
The reactionaries only began to rebel when they felt threatened to lose their estates and the Church sided with them after being banned. Franco was eventually chosen as the leader of the coalition even though he wasnt fascist and had the fascist leadership killed and he took over the party- he was a monarchist and dictator but never applied fascist principles when he came to power.
The Republic was never unified and their army never had a central command- their soldiers would hold debates before they followed orders from officers. Although Germany and Italy did lend a hand to the rebellion, the overriding factor why the Republic lost in the battlefield was because they were never united and constantly fighting each other.
All in all, quite interesting.