Spanish Civil War

The Spanish Civil War is often overlooked in the study of twentieth-century history. But the Civil War was truly a vitally important part of the time period: the first true fascist-socialist conflict in Europe, it profoundly shaped the second World War by emboldening Fascist powers and providing a “testing ground” for weapons and tactics; moreover, it had a devastating impact on Spain. I also have a personal connection to the topic: my grandmother lived through the war and under Franco’s regime. As a passionate language student, I welcomed the opportunity to tackle foreign-language sources in Spanish and Catalan. Furthermore, the Spanish Civil War’s connection to this year’s theme was undeniable; this topic was an obvious choice for my project.

Additionally, I watched the three-part Spanish documentary series España dividida: La Guerra Civil en color (“Spain Divided: The Civil War in Color”) to experience a visual portrayal of the war’s story. Along with other books, radio interviews, and reference sources, various other primary documents—from the telegram ordering the bombing of Barcelona to the Francoist “Hable bien” poster—deepened my understanding of the subject. I reached out to individuals familiar with the war through school and family to gain additional perspectives on the topic and conducted an interview with my grandmother regarding her personal experiences during the war and under Franco’s rule. Finally, I wrote a paper on the Spanish Civil War to organize my thinking on the subject before beginning the