July 17th, 1936 – April 1st, 1939
The Spanish Civil War was a war between the Republican and Nationalist factions of Spain during the Interwar period.source needed
The Nationalist forces were backed up by Fascist Italy, Nazi Germany, and Portugal, while the Republican side was backed up by the Soviet Union and Mexico. The United States, United Kingdom, and France recognized the Republican government, but did not intervene in the war.source needed
Some consider this war to be the precursor, or “dress rehearsal” by Claude G. Bowers, to World War II.(Bowers, 1954, p. 272)
Page 272
Spain then was to be the testing ground. Here would be staged the dress rehearsal for the totalitarian war on liberty and democracy in Europe; here public reaction to outrageous methods would be tried out; here the new method of warring on civilian populations would be ventured; here the term “fifth column” would be coined, and its use tried.
A description of the Spanish Civil War as a precursor to World War II.