Why did the Nationalists win the Spanish Civil War?

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Why did the Nationalists win the Spanish Civil War?

The Spanish Civil War was to be both bloody and protracted, with a Nationalist victory only being achieved after three years of bitter and arduous fighting. The reasons for the Nationalist victory are both numerous and diverse but whilst military matters such as leadership, quality of troops, strategic objectives and foreign military aid are crucial to any explanation of the Nationalist triumph, these alone do not account for the fall of the Spanish Republic. The inherent weaknesses and divisions within the Republican military and political system were vital to the success of the Nationalist forces throughout the war and perhaps most importantly, the attitudes of the European governments and the eclipse by the greater events in Europe ultimately determined the fate of Republican Spain.

The early days of the rebellion were crucial for both the Nationalist and Republican forces and it therefore seems possible that the initial errors made by Casares Quiroga's government sowed the seeds of an eventual Nationalist victory. Although the military uprising had the great advantage of surprise and the backing of the majority of younger officers, it fell far short of its immediate objectives, to