1. The Spanish Republic fell because of the depth of the split between left and right in the nation. Internal divisions among the Republic's supporters, the disciplined efforts of its opponents, the lack of much external support for the Loyalists, and higher levels of support for the Nationalist right were responsible for the actual failure of the Republican side in the war. But the nation's internal divisions were so strong to begin with that there was little hope for the Republic once the military took action.
The civil war developed from the opposition between the left and right that grew as the governments switched from the control of one side to the other and the nation was polarized around the extremes. The mildly reformist government of the period 1931-1934 was more than the landowners, the clergy and the military could stand. The reversal of its reforms by the conservative government of 1934-1936, accompanied by repression of the workers' rebellions, went just as far in angering the left. The 1936 Popular Front government, however, felt forced to go too far to the left in trying to maintain the favor of the communist faction. The Nationalists, fearing a complete social revolution, decided to act to eliminate the possibility of power being endlessly wrested away and then returned to them. From the outset the nation was divided so sharply that there was little hope that any accord could ever be reached that would allow the sides to coexist in any kind of political harmony.
The Spanish war also proved too tempting to other nations and the conflict was soon perceived as a microcosm of the battle between the left and right that was about to be enacted on the broader stage of Europe. The Nationalists received troop support from Italy, as well as planes, pilots, arms and technical assistance from Germany. The Republicans gained assistance from the USSR, and the Comintern organized the International Brigades of volunte...