Spanish Civil War Facts for Kids

Oak of Guernica

The Spanish Civil War (18 July 1936 – 1 April 1939) was a war in which the Spanish General Francisco Franco and his troops successfully took control of Spain. A lot of different groups worked together with the Spanish Republic (the government of the time) to stop him, including socialists, communists, anarchists, and other leftist groups. The fascist governments of Germany and Italy provided troops and supplies for Franco, while the communist Soviet Union sold the Republican forces weapons. Lots of people from other countries volunteered to fight against Franco (sometimes against the orders of their own countries), including people from the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Belgium, Germany, Italy, and many other countries. These groups were known as the International Brigades. The war ended on 1 April 1939 when the last of the Republican troops gave up. Franco became the ruler of Spain until he died in 1975.

location of Guernica

Half a million people died in the war, and many atrocities were committed by both sides. The most famous was the bombing of Guernica. On April 26, 1937, Guernica was bombed by Legion Condor, supported by Hitler's Nazi regime. It was the first time that large civilian casualties resulted. The bombing was reported all over the world in newspapers, and made people aware of German involvement.

General map of the Spanish Civil War (1936–1939).

Initial Nationalist zone — July 1936 Nationalist advance until September 1936 Nationalist advance until October 1937 Nationalist advance until November 1938 Nationalist advance until February 1939 Last area under Republican control

Main Nationalist centres

Main Republican centres

Land battles

Naval battles

Bombed cities

Concentration camps

Massacres

Refugee camps

Ireland and the Spanish Civil War
Proxy war
European Civil War
Spain in World War II
Surviving veterans of the Spanish Civil War
Spanish Bombs (Song by The Clash)
SS Cantabria

Images for kids

On 12 April 1931, the Republicans won the elections and the Spanish Second Republic was proclaimed two days later. King Alfonso XIII went into exile.
General Emilio Mola was the chief planner of the coup.
Republican and Nationalist conscription age limits
Republican forces during the battle of Irún in 1936
Manuel Azaña was the intellectual leader of the Second Republic and headman of the Republican side during most of the Civil War.
Republican volunteers at Teruel, 1936
Militias of the Falange in Saragossa, October 1936
Italian troops manning a 10 cm howitzer at Guadalajara, 1937
German officer from the Condor Legion instructing Nationalist infantry soldiers, Ávila
Condor Legion Junkers Ju 87
The Etkar André battalion of the International Brigades
Polish volunteers in the International Brigades
Review of Soviet armoured fighting vehicles used to equip the Republican People's Army during the Spanish Civil War
Loire 46 of the Spanish Republican Air Force.
Map showing Spain in September 1936: Area under Nationalist control Area under Republican control
Surrender of Republican soldiers in the Somosierra area, 1936
Leonese anarchist Buenaventura Durruti died after he arrived in Madrid to reinforce the morale of the Republicans during an unsuccessful Francoist siege in Madrid. His funeral, headed (in the image) by Lluís Companys, president of the Generalitat of Catalonia, and Joan García i Oliver, Minister of Justice of the Spanish Republic, was in Barcelona.
Map showing Spain in October 1937: Area under Nationalist control Area under Republican control
Ruins of Guernica
Map showing Spain in July 1938: Area under Nationalist control Area under Republican control
Map showing Spain in February 1939: Area under Nationalist control Area under Republican control
Franco arriving in San Sebastian in 1939
Franco declares the end of the war, though small pockets of Republicans fought on.
Children preparing for evacuation, some giving the Republican salute. The Republicans showed a raised fist whereas the Nationalists gave the Roman salute.
one-peseta Nationalist note, 1937
one-peseta Republican note, 1937
Women pleading with Nationalists for the lives of prisoners, Constantina, 1936
Spanish Civil War grave sites. Location of known burial places. Colours refer to the type of intervention that has been carried out. Green: No Interventions Undertaken so far. White: Missing grave. Yellow: Transferred to the Valle de los Caídos. Red: Fully or Partially Exhumed. Blue star: Valle de los Caídos. Source: Ministry of Justice of Spain
Nationalist SM.81 aircraft bomb Madrid in late November 1936.
Children take refuge during the Francoist bombing over Madrid (1936–1937). In spite of that, Republicans managed to repulse this siege.
Bombing in Barcelona, 1938
"Execution" of the Sacred Heart of Jesus by Communist militiamen. The photograph in the London Daily Mail had the caption "Spanish Reds' war on religion".
Two women and a man posing at the siege of the Alcázar in Toledo, 1936
Women from FAI during the Spanish Social Revolution.
In Catalonia, a square near the Barcelona waterfront named Plaça de George Orwell.
Tribute and plaque in memory of murdered or persecuted teachers, Navarre, 1936 and later
Spanish children in exile in Mexico

Spanish Civil War facts for kids

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