1936



February
Popular Front won national elections and Azana was appointed president of Spain.
March
The right wing Falange Party was banned.
March to May
Street riots; strikes and general anarchy in some parts of Spain.
July
Military uprisings in Spanish Morocco and some parts of mainland Spain. The government dissolves the regular army. July 19th, Franco arrives to take command of the army in Morocco.
Hitler agreed to help out the Nationalists. Stalin agreed to help the Republicans. German and Italian planes airlift Franco’s army to the Spanish mainland.
August
First International Brigade volunteers arrived in Spain.
September
A military junta named Franco as head of state and c-in-c of the armed forces of Spain.
October
The first aid from Russia arrives for the Republicans
November
Germany and Italy recognise Franco as head of Spain’s government.


1937



February
Nationalists started a major offensive against Madrid. International Brigade played an important part in resisting this offensive.
March
Battle of Guadalajara. Italian "volunteers" defeated. This led to Franco abandoning any attempt to take Madrid.
April
Guernica destroyed by aerial bombing.
May
Republican groups in Barcelona fell out causing serious weaknesses in the city.
June
The strategic city of Bilboa fell to the Nationalists.
August
The Vatican recognised Franco’s regime.


1938



April
Republican Spain was split in two by the Nationalists.
May
Franco declared that the Republicans had to unconditionally surrender.
July
Start of the collapse of the Republican army after the Battle of the Ebro.
October
International Brigade left Spain.


1939



January
Barcelona fell to Franco
February
Britain and France recognised the legitimacy of Franco’s government.
March
Madrid surrendered to Franco
April
Republicans surrendered unconditionally to Franco.

"This truly revolutionary measure [...] wasn't well received by large> numbers of workers, proving, unfortunately that their understanding of> the scope of collectivization was very limited. Only a minority> understood that collectivization meant a return to society of what,> historically, had been appropriated by the capitalists."


He [Fraser] quotes Macario Royo, an Aragonese CNT leader who speaks with> startling frankness:> To establish libertarian communism means making the revolution.> Revolutions are made by force. Everything that is imposed by > force has to be maintained by force. The outcome may be> communism but it is not libertarian. If it were, it would not> be communist, for the simple reason that the mass of the people > are not communist.