History - War at a Glance

Spanish Guns In the 1930s Spain becomes the focal point of the conflict between two of the world's political ideologies: International Communism and National Socialism. The Communists (mainly the Soviet Union) support the Loyalists (so called because of their ostensible loyalty to a constitutional monarchy) while the National Socialists (mainly Germany) support the Republicans (or Rebles, so called because they wanted to replace the constitutional monarchy with a republicin reality, a nationalist dictatorship headed by Generalissimo Fransico Franco). The Soviet Union and Germany supply their surrogates with the means to wage modern war. Aircraft, tanks, and other modern weapons turn the struggle into a bitter and bloody civil war. Both the Soviets and Germans encourage and support their respective ideological sides in the conflict; both countries look on the conflict as a proving ground for newly developed weapons and tactics. German assistance to the Republicans is more extensive and consistent. It includes the Condor Legion, an elite Luftwaffe (German air force) unit flying the new Messerschmidt Bf109 fighter, which becomes the mainstay of German fighter commands from 1939 to 1945. The Luftwaffe uses tactics proved in Spain against the Allies in World War II. With Germany's help, Franco and the Republicans eventually prevail. However, Spain manages to stay neutral during World War II. See Next Pacific Intrigues Room for Growth