Nationalist faction (Spanish Civil War)

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Nationalist faction (Spanish Civil War)

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The right-wing coalition that fought against the Second Spanish Republic in 1936–1939.

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Origins & Early Life

The Nationalist faction (Spanish: Bando nacional), also called the Rebel faction (Spanish: Bando sublevado) and Francoist faction (Spanish: Bando franquista), was a major faction in the Spanish Civil War of 1936 to 1939. It was composed of a variety of right-wing political groups that supported the Spanish coup of July 1936 against the Second Spanish Republic and Republican faction and sought to depose Manuel Azaña. It included the Falange Española de las JONS, the CEDA ('Spanish Confederation of the Autonomous Right'), and two rival monarchist claimants: the Alfonsist Spanish Renovation and the Carlist Traditionalist Communion. In 1937, the Unification Decree merged all these groups into the FET y de las JONS. In the course of the war, the Nationalist groups, which exhibited certain "fascisant" and "pre-fascist" tendencies, became unified around a new emerging ideological project marked by modern ultranationalism and the goal of purifying and reviving the nation in the "bonfire" of the war to achieve a Spanish "New Man" similarly to Italian Fascism.

Career & Major Achievements

After the death of the faction's early leaders, General Francisco Franco, one of the members of the 1936 coup, headed the Nationalists throughout most of the war, and emerged as the dictator of Spain until his death in 1975. The term Nationalists or Nationals (nacionales) was coined by Joseph Goebbels following the visit of the clandestine Spanish delegation led by Francisco Arranz requesting materiel on 24 July 1936, in order to give a cloak of legitimacy to Nazi Germany's help to the Spanish rebel military. The leaders of the Rebels, who had already been called 'Crusaders' by the Bishop of Salamanca, Enrique Pla y Deniel – and also used the term Cruzada for their campaign – immediately took a liking to it. The term Bando nacional or Blancos 'Whites' – much as the term rojos 'Reds' to refer to Republican loyalists – is considered by some authors as a term linked to the propaganda of that faction. Throughout the civil war the term 'National' was mainly used by the members and supporters of the rebel faction, while its opponents used the terms fascistas 'fascists' or facciosos 'sectarians'.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The military rebellion found wide areas of support both inside Spain and in the international sphere. In Spain the Francoist side was mainly supported by the predominantly conservative upper class, liberal professionals, religious organizations and land-owning farmers. It was mostly based in the rural areas where progressive political movements had made few inroads, such as great swathes of the Northern Meseta, including almost all of Old Castile, as well as La Rioja, Navarre, Alava, the area near Zaragoza in Aragon, most of Galicia, parts of Cáceres in Extremadura and many dispersed pockets in rural Andalusia where the local society still followed older traditional patterns and was yet comparably untouched by "modern" thought. The historians Paul Preston and Julián Casanova note that what they describe as Spanish fascism was not centered in a fascist party, but was established by the unity of the right-wing groups and parties and the military rebels, which formed the Nationalist faction. They view the Nationalists as a united movement, where different groups shared the unity of "regiments in the same army." According to them, the Spanish right shared a political culture, similar to the Italian " 'pre-Fascism' like of the Italian Nationalist Association and the German Völkisch movement.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1936: 1936 Milestone — The Nationalist faction (Spanish: Bando nacional), also called the Rebel faction (Spanish: Bando sublevado) and Francoist faction (Spanish: Bando franquista), was a major faction in the Spanish Civil War of 1936 to 1939.
2. 1937: 1937 Milestone — In 1937, the Unification Decree merged all these groups into the FET y de las JONS.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Nationalist faction (Spanish Civil War)

True or False: “The term 'Nationalists' was coined by Joseph Goebbels after the Spanish delegation requested materiel on July 24, 1936.”

Answer (FALSE ❌): While Goebbels did coin the term following that visit, the leaders of the rebels already favored other terms like 'Crusaders' or used 'Cruzada' for their campaign.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• A. E. Housman — Historical peer (Died in 1936) (1936): English classicist and poet, renowned for his scholarship and melancholic verse.
• A. S. Byatt — Historical peer (Born in 1936) (1936): Acclaimed English novelist, poet, and critic known for complex literary works.
• Ada Yonath — Historical peer (Born in 1939) (1939): Pioneering crystallographer known for elucidating the structure and function of the ribosome.
• Alan Ayckbourn — Historical peer (Born in 1939) (1939): Prolific British playwright and director known for domestic farce and ensemble pieces.
• Abdelaziz Bouteflika — Historical peer (Born in 1937) (1937): Algerian politician who served as the seventh President of Algeria from 1999 to 2019.
• Alain Badiou — Historical peer (Born in 1937) (1937): Influential French philosopher known for 'Being and Event' and universalism.
• 50 Cent — Historical peer (Born in 1975) (1975): Iconic rapper, actor, and entrepreneur known for raw storytelling and business acumen.
• Alex Rodriguez — Historical peer (Born in 1975) (1975): Legendary former MLB star, A-Rod, transitioned into a powerful sports and business mogul.

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