The Spanish Civil War in the Era of Total War

Abstract

This essay explores the usefulness of analyzing the Spanish Civil War within the framework of ‘total war.’ Although this concept is notoriously ambiguous, it does shed light on important dimensions of the conflict in Spain. It draws attention to the fact that both sides in the contest were confronted with organizational problems like those faced by the belligerent powers in the world wars of the twentieth century. It also emphasizes the fact that the Civil War affected the lives of everyone in Spain-man, woman, and child.