SPAIN

The civil war in Spain was fought between the republicans of Spain and the rebels.  The first attempt at peace before the war even broke out was a military coupe that was attempting to bring peace to both sides.  It ultimately failed and a bloody war broke out.  The Nationalists, Rebels, were mostly wealthy business men, roman catholics, and land owners with a big branch of military.  The republicans were the exact opposite.  They were peole who worked in urban environments and were more middle class.  Both sides fought hard to suppress the other.  It started with the Republicans fighting harder and tougher, yet it was the Nationalists that fought the hardest.  Maybe they didn't fight the hardest but they were the most brutal.  They thought that it was best to remain feared in all areas so they would kill just about anyone who opposed them, including childeren.  The Nationalists were truly the worst side because they were being supported by Nazi Germany.  The general of the Nationalists was Francisco Franco.  He believed that everything about the government was corrupt and evil.  His side believed that it needed to be changed completely.  The Republicans, lead by Francisco Largo Caballero and Juan Negrín.  They believed in maintaining the current state of Spain.  The Republicans and Nationalists were becoming too weak to continue fighting so they called for help from other countries.  Germany and Italy supported the Nationalists.  The Soviet Union, Mexico and France aided the Republicans until France, The Soviet Union, Italy and Germany signed an agreement stating that they must back out of the war and leave it to Spain to resolve it.  Nobody except France obayed these agreements.  The other nations went right back into fighting except France.  Countries were sending tanks and planes to the aid of their Spanish side yet in the end, it was Franco's brutality that won him the war.  He didn't care what happened to anyone as long as he won the war and became the leader of Spain.  On March 28th, 1939, Nationalist forces moved in on Madrid for the final take down while at the same time, much of the Republican forces were surrendering.  On April 1st, 1939, Madrid had fallen thus ending the war and securing Franco his new position as leader of Spain.  Much of the people of Spain were very sad and angry.  Sometimes the wrong side wins in war, and this is an example of just that.  Although Spain is recovering from this and is starting to mend it's wounds, it still has further to go in becoming a true great united nation again.