Transporting the Army of Africa

The Spanish army claimed a pre-emptive counter-revolution was necessary to keep the country from collapsing under socialist pressure. It was spread thin over the Spanish mainland, with the most important divisions stationed in Morocco. This presented the rebels with a major problem: how to get the Army of Africa to the Spanish mainland?

The army had agreed upon transportation with the Spanish navy. But as it turned out the ships’ crews were loyal to the republic—not to their commanding officers. Sailors quickly overpowered their superiors and took control over the transport ships. Although it had quickly secured Morocco, the Army of Africa suddenly found itself stuck on the Moroccan shores with the rest of the republican navy under way to make sure they stayed there.

A country in disarray

At this time, news of the rising has spread throughout Spain. Unions called for general strikes, national and local authorities were reluctant to arm the uncontrollable masses and the small army garrisons in the city lay in disarray—nobody knew exactly what was happening. Chaos led to creativity in fighting: both sides improvised armoured cars, self-propelled guns and the weirdest of grenades. But lack of firepower also led to brutal fighting, with entire villages being slaughtered by hand, knife or whatever kind of agricultural equipment one could get his hands on.

Although the rebelling Spanish mainland forces were holding on, it was clear the Army of Africa had no time to lose. With no means of transport, many lost hope. But for the first time in history a major airlift was set up, mostly thanks to transport aircraft quickly dispatched from Nazi Germany. By transporting the Army of Africa over the Gibraltar straight, Adolf Hitler saved the rebels only in the nick of time.

A rebellion transforms into a civil war

The Army of Africa, with General Franco slowly but steadily consolidating his leadership of the rebellion, got across. But it was not in time to secure a successful coup. The major cities were mobilised. The republic had kept control over the country’s gold supplies, major economic resources, most of the major cities, the trade fleet and most of the navy. The nationalist rebels however had the most experienced soldiers and officers, enjoyed extensive military, logistical and technological support from Germany and Italy, and—last but not least—got extensive economical support in forms of credit and oil from the Americans and the English.

The republic collapsed and the masses were on the streets. Anthony Beevor (1982) observes: ‘The pre-emptive counter-revolution from the right drove an unanticipated revolution right into the arms of the left.’ The outlook for Spain was Grim.

Next up: where did the Germans and the Italians come from all of a sudden? It’s time for a look at the various foreign interventions in the Spanish Civil War.