1936–1939
The Spanish Civil War began when a coalition of generals launched a coup against the elected Second Republic in July 1936; Franco became the Nationalist leader after the war began rather than initiating it alone. Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy provided decisive military support to the Nationalists, while the Soviet Union and international volunteers aided the fragmented Republican coalition under the constraints of non-intervention. Both zones saw mass political killing, but Francoist repression was more sustained, continued after victory, and underpinned a dictatorship lasting until 1975. Guernica became a symbol of attacks on civilians, although the conflict was more than a simple rehearsal for World War II.
Chapter-by-chapter narrative with maps, primary sources, and key events.
Explore battles on a live map with a timeline slider and territory overlays.
Deep-dive into every major engagement — commanders, casualties, significance.
Biographical flip cards with real portraits, facts, and full biography pages.
Trace each figure's full life journey — birth, education, battles, and death — on a live map.
Scroll-driven visualization of casualties — each dot a thousand lives.
Weapons, war machines, and the military innovations that defined how this conflict was fought.
Cause-and-effect chains tracing the war's long shadow on history.
War crimes, massacres, and the darkest chapters of this conflict — documented for history.
The Spanish Civil War began when a coalition of generals launched a coup against the elected Second Republic in July 1936; Franco became the Nationalist leader after the war began rather than initiating it alone. Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy provided decisive military support to the Nationalists, while the Soviet Union and international volunteers aided the fragmented Republican coalition under the constraints of non-intervention. Both zones saw mass political killing, but Francoist repression was more sustained, continued after victory, and underpinned a dictatorship lasting until 1975. Guernica became a symbol of attacks on civilians, although the conflict was more than a simple rehearsal for World War II.
Spanish Civil War was fought from 1936 to 1939.
Spanish Civil War was fought between Nationalists / Francoists and Republicans / International Brigades.
An estimated 525,000 people died in Spanish Civil War, including roughly 350,000 military and 175,000 civilian deaths. Figures are scholarly estimates and vary by source.
Major engagements included Battle of the Ebro, Battle of Teruel, Battle of Brunete, and Battle of Madrid.