"The war in Spain. Test of strength"

Project of Leonid Mlechin on the air of Russian Public Television

The Spanish Civil War, which began in 1936, split not only the Spaniards themselves, but also Europe. And it was the first step to a world war.

In February 1936, the Popular Front defeated the anarchists, socialists and communists in parliamentary elections. For the first time, radical socialists appeared in power.

Spain was very religious. The pious officers were frightened by the anti-church mood of the left. Conservative military men believed that the Spanish left would voluntarily or involuntarily serve world communism. On the night of July 18, 1936, the military rebelled. The rebel leader, General Franco, declared a crusade in defense of Christianity and the Catholic Church.

Many Spaniards demanded the return of the Inquisition, so that it strictly punished the apostates. And the history of the country is already full of bloody pages. In the nineteenth century there were already two civil wars, where no prisoners were taken… Bad experience. And there was no habit of negotiating. Like habits put up with dissent. The Spaniards believed that there was only one truth. No other point of view is possible. Universal intolerance led to a civil war in which both sides showed incredible cruelty.

The Republicans were assisted by the Soviet Union. The coming to power of the extreme left in Spain, among which the Communists played the main violin, delighted Moscow, where they were still waiting for a world revolution.

Moscow supplied weapons and military equipment. Soviet officers served in the Spanish army as advisers or even held senior command posts. Spain-led commanders became the main personnel reserve; they were appointed with great promotion to high posts, vacated as a result of mass repressions in the Red Army.

And the rebels were supported by the fascist leaders. Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini recognized Franco’s regime and rendered him military assistance.

Hitler longed for war. And power over Europe. He moved toward the goal step by step. Not meeting resistance, he became impudent and bold. Spain has become a testing ground for new weapons and a training base, where soldiers and officers of the Wehrmacht passed a combat run-in. Spain was a test of strength. The first war in Europe - after the world. And Hitler gained confidence that he was able to impose his will on a weak and weak-willed Europe.

Duration: 39 minutes

Airtime: OTR. September 23, 2016 - 07:00, 14:05, 19:20.