Reasons for Nationalist victory: Republican weaknesses; Nationalist…

The idea

Nationalist victory stemmed from internal cohesion and external support. Nationalist strengths included a unified command and professional forces like the Army of Africa. Franco's role was crucial; he merged disparate right-wing groups into a single political entity. Conversely, Republican weaknesses featured severe internal divisions, seen in the 1937 May Days, and a lack of centralised military control. Foreign intervention was decisive: German and Italian support gave the Nationalists vital air superiority. Meanwhile, the impact of non-intervention severely disadvantaged the Republic, denying them arms from Western democracies and forcing a reliance on Soviet aid, which exacerbated internal political fractures.

What earns the marks

• Evaluate Franco's political skill in unifying the Carlists and Falangists through the 1937 Decree of Unification to create a cohesive Nationalist front.
• Analyse Republican weaknesses, specifically the debilitating infighting between anarchists, communists, and socialists during the Barcelona May Days.
• Assess the decisive military impact of foreign intervention, such as the German Condor Legion and Italian CTV, on Nationalist operational success.
• Examine how the Non-Intervention Agreement disproportionately harmed the Republic by blocking democratic aid while failing to stop fascist intervention.

Common mistakes and how to put them right

• Stating that the Republic received no foreign aid.

  Put it right: Clarify that the Republic received significant aid from the USSR and the International Brigades, though it was less consistent than fascist aid to the Nationalists.

• Attributing Nationalist victory solely to foreign intervention.

  Put it right: Balance external factors with internal Nationalist strengths, such as Franco's leadership and the professional Army of Africa.

• Treating the Republican forces as a unified military entity.

  Put it right: Highlight the fragmented nature of the Republican militias and the political struggles over creating a unified Popular Army.

Exam tips

• Weigh the relative importance of different factors; argue whether internal Republican divisions or external fascist support was the primary catalyst for Nationalist victory.
• Use the 1937 Decree of Unification as concrete evidence of Franco's political pragmatism and leadership strength.
• When discussing non-intervention, explicitly mention the Non-Intervention Committee and its failure to enforce the arms embargo on Germany and Italy.