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THE ENIGMA OF THE SPANISH CIVIL WAR: The Motives for Sovièt Intervention Marisa Fernandez Department of History Mc Gill University, Montreal November 2002 A Thesis submitted to the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the degree of Master of Arts. © Copyright Marisa Fernandez 2002 National Library Bibliothèque nationale 1+1 of Canada du Canada Acquisitions and Acquisisitons et Bibliographie Services services bibliographiques 395 Wellington Street 395, rue Wellington Ottawa ON K1A ON4 Ottawa ON K1A ON4 Canada Canada Your file Votre référence ISBN: 0-612-88637-9 Our file Notre référence ISBN: 0-612-88637-9 The author has granted a non­ L'auteur a accordé une licence non exclusive licence allowing the exclusive permettant à la National Library of Canada to Bibliothèque nationale du Canada de reproduce, loan, distribute or sell reproduire, prêter, distribuer ou copies of this thesis in microform, vendre des copies de cette thèse sous paper or electronic formats. la forme de microfiche/film, de reproduction sur papier ou sur format électronique. The author retains ownership of the L'auteur conserve la propriété du copyright in this thesis. Neither the droit d'auteur qui protège cette thèse. thesis nor substantial extracts from it Ni la thèse ni des extraits substantiels may be printed or otherwise de celle-ci ne doivent être imprimés reproduced without the author's ou aturement reproduits sans son permission. autorisation. Canada "Sin Rusia, la Republica Espafiola no hubiera podido resistir ; con Rusia, no fue capaz de vencer."l l "Without Russia, the Spanish Republic would have never been able to resist ; with Russia, it was not able to win." Fernando Schwartz. La Internacionalizaci6n de la Guerra Civil Espanola. Julio de 1936- Marzo de 1937. (Barcelona: Ediciones Ariel, 1971), 79. This thesis is dedicated to My late grandfather, Joaquin José Fernândez Sanchez & My parents, Joaquin Fernândez Gutierrez & Hendrika Rietveld TABLE OF CONTENTS Acknowledgements i Abstract / Abrégé ii Foreword 1 Chronology 10 Map of Spain 15 Introduction 16 Chapter 1: Foreign Intervention in the Spanish Civil War 21 1.1 The Entente 22 1.2 Italy and Germany 27 Chapter 2: Stalin's Reaction in July 1936 30 Chapter 3: The Soviet Union and the Non-Intervention Agreement 37 3.1 Stalin Agrees to the "Farce" 40 3.2 Why Stalin agreed to the "Farce" 42 3.3 Soviet risks 44 Chapter 4: The Soviet Union Intervenes: Stalin's Motives 48 4.1 Military Motives 49 4.2 Ideological Motives 51 4.3 International Opinion 53 4.4 France 55 4.5 Calling Hitler's Bluff 56 4.6 Other Soviet Motives 59 Chapter 5: The Importance of the Spanish Civil War 62 5.1 Stalin: Maker of Soviet Policy in Spain 62 5.2 Collective Security 63 5.3 Rapprochement with Hitler 67 5.4 Soviet Arms: Never Enough 69 Chapter 6: When did Stalin Decide to Intervene in Spain? 78 Chapter 7: The Cost(s) of Soviet Intervention 83 7.1 Soviet Intervention/Interference in Domestic Affairs 83 7.2 The Spanish Gold "Question": A Further Motive for Intervening? 86 7.3 Soviet "Swindling"? 99 7.4 Soviet Credit 101 Conclusion 105 Appendix 1 110 Appendix 2 111 Appendix 3 112 Suggestions for Further Reading 113 Bibliography 115 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 1 would like to thank Professor Valentin Boss for his support, suggestions, and careful supervision throughout my research. The topic of this dissertation was suggested by Professor Boss and he further encouraged me to pursue my studies by travelling to Russia. This thesis would not have been possible without his encouragement and interest in the subject. 1 wish to express my gratitude to Professor A. N. Sakharov (Russian Academy of Sciences), Professor L. N. Niezhinsky and Professor S. P. Pozharskaya, who answered my questions and guided me during the early stages of my work. 1 also wish to give thanks to Professor L. Kolodnikova, who offered me assistance during my stay in Moscow and helped me gain access to certain archives. 1 also wish to thank Adelina Kondratieva (née Abrahmson), a courageous woman who participated in the Spanish Civil War as a translator for Soviet pilots, for her advice, inspiration and companionship during my stay in Moscow. 1 would like to acknowledge the lielp of Professor Eric Jabbari, whose helpful suggestions and "last minute" editing are much appreciated and thank Colleen Parish's assistance throughout the year. 1 also wish to thank Ana-Maria Lucas and Martin Beauchamp for their help in translating the abstnict and Martin Lépine, of Impression Paragraph, who generously offered to print my dissertation. 1 owe my inspiration for this dissertation to my parents: 1 thank my mother, for her love and faith in me, her "motivational speeches" and her technical and "spiritual" help during my encounters with computer "glitches". 1 am etemally grateful to my father, who sparked my interest in the Spanish Civil War due, in large part, to our lively "discussions" on the subject. He encouraged me to continue my studies and never stopped believing in me. 1 wish to thank and give credit to my sister for being such a good friend and for her amazing ability to make me laugh during those crucial moments when only laughter can "calm" the soul. 1 am grateful to Patricia Zamora, my "comrade in arms", for her understanding and support. 1 would also like to express my many thanks to aIl of my friends, who stood by me during this past year. Finally, 1 wish to thank God for giving me the inner-strength, determination and courage to confront my fears. You stood by me through it aU and, towards the end, carried me to the finish tine. 11 ABSTRACT The passions aroused by the Spanish Civil War have yet to recede. The extensive literature that has been produced and continues to be published testifies to this fact. From the outset of the war in Spain, numerous European countries actively participated in the Spanish conflict. However, Soviet military "aid" to the Republican government "has provoked more questions, mystification and bitter controversy than any other subject in the history of the Spanish Civil War."l Although the Spanish Civil War took place almost 70 years ago, and the intervention or non-intervention of many countries in Spain is well documented, Soviet involvement remains an "enigma". Little is known of Stalin's motives in Spain and even less information has emerged on the Spanish gold reserves that were sent to the US SR. This dissertation attempts to come to terms with both of these questions and, with the help of new documentation, challenge previously-held assumptions regarding Soviet foreign policy in Spain. ABRÉGÉ La Guerre civile espagnole a suscité des passions qui, encore aujourd'hui, sont toujours bien vivantes. La littérature qui fut produite et qui continue à être publiée le confirme. Dès les débuts de la guerre, de nombreux pays européens s'impliquèrent activement dans ce conflit opposant Nationalistes et Républicains. Cependant, Howson est d'avis que c'est l'aide militaire soviétique envers le gouvernement républicain qui a soulevé le plus grand nombre de questions, de mystifications et de controverses par rapport à tout autre sujet concernant l'histoire de la Guerre civile espagnole? Près de 70 ans se sont écoulées depuis le début de cette guerre et les raisons pour lesquelles certains pays ont décidé d'intervenir, ou non, sont bien connues; à l'exception des motivations qui ont poussé les Soviétiques à agir. Les motifs de la participation de Staline dans le conflit en Espagne demeurent encore énigmatiques, mais le sont encore plus, les circonstances dans lesquelles des réserves d'or espagnoles ont été envoyées vers l'URSS. Cette thèse essaye de clarifier ces deux faits. S'appuyant sur de nouveaux documents, cet ouvrage remet en cause la politique étrangère de l'URSS à l'égard de l'Espagne au cours de cette période. 1 Gerald Howson. Armsfor Spain: The Untold Story of the Spanish Civil War. (New York: St Martins Press, 1998), 119. 2 Ibid., 119. FOREWORD The Spanish Civil War that broke out on 17-18 July 1936 was by no means an unexpected event. The Spanish conflict had long roots in the agitated and confused manner in which Spanish politics were shaped and were being shaped. Spain had long been struggling between the dual forces of conservatism and liberalism. These two opposing camps were further divided by the existence of influential Left and Right-wing forces. In 1931, the King of Spain, Alfonso XIII, abdicated and a Second Republic was proclaimed. The new government was comprised of liberals and Socialists, which were, in tum, supported by trade unions and Anarchists. The Republican leaders created a constitution which called for a multiparty system, a decrease of the officer corps and curtailment of the power traditionally held by the Catholic Church. The provinces of Catalonia and the Basque Country were granted autonomous rights and there was much discussion over land reforms. These proposed reforms angered military officiaIs, the Church, the landed aristocracy and all of the Conservative forces which sought to ensure the survival of a strong, centralized government. Revolutionary forces were pitted against those angered over their loss oftraditional privileges.\ In 1933, elections were held and a Right-wing coalition government was victorious and govemed the country until 1936. Political Intolerance grew as neither camp wanted to come to a peaceful understanding.