Topic 2 - Significance of foreign intervention Flashcards
1
Q
Why didn’t France intervene?
A
- Appeasement - both France and Britain wanted to prevent a war with Germany
- France and Britain feared that direct involvement in Spain would endanger appeasement and lead to a wider European conflict
2
Q
Why didn’t Britain intervene?
A
- Political reasons; pressured France not to become heavily involved as involvement will lead to war
- Ideological reasons; reforms and chaos in Spain was seen as worst excess of socialist left
- Economic reasons; British investments in Spain were significant
3
Q
How did Germany and Italy intervene?
A
- By July 1936, Franco had purchased; 6,000 rifles, 450 machine guns, 10,000 grenades and 10,000 german soldiers
- Hitler also sent a lieutanent colonel Warlimont to act as a leading military advisor to Franco
- By October 1936, Mussolini had provided; 50,000 men, 2500 tonnes of bombs and 12,000 machine guns
4
Q
How did the USSR intervene?
A
- By October 1936, Stalin sent; 600 tonnes of military hardware, 100 tonnes of ammunition and 500 engineers
- This aid helped the republic defend Madrid
- Russian aid continued throughout the war but the rate diminished as Stalin wanted to avoid a wider European conflict
5
Q
What were the international brigades?
A
- 35,000 people joined from Britain, USA and France
- Many were communists and motivated to fight fascism
6
Q
How frequent was aid sent?
A
- The Nationalists received double the amount of aircrafts from Germany and Italy than the Republicans did
- Franco was in command of an air force that almost as big as the British RAF
- Germany and Italy increased their supplies as the war progressed whilst the USSR decreased its supplies
7
Q
What political impact did foreign intervention have?
A
- Franco’s ability to obtain aid increased his authority within the Nationalist forces
- Germany had confidence in his ability to lead Spain
- The Republicans had to promote Spanish communists to senior government positions in order to receive aid from the USSR which split the Republicans further as Trotskyites and Anarachists were unwilling to support Stalinists
- POUM party was attacked by communists
8
Q
What was the cost of aid?
A
- Italian and German aid was relatively cheap as Franco was given long-term loans, meaning he had to pay very little during the war
- Hitler gained majority shareholds in Spanish iron ore companies
- Stalin demanded immediate payment for soviet aid to republic-he wanted gold and $500 worth of gold (2/3 of Spain’s gold mines) was sent to Stalin to pay for the equipment
