The Nation in Arms? Opposition,resistance,and survival: The sociopolitical diversity of the Insurgent Army in the Spanish Civil War

Abstract

This article reveals details of the dissident views among the Insurgent Troops during the Spanish Civil War, how dissident combatants coexisted with those in command, and the effects of such control. Drawing from experiences in the African campaigns and new political strategies in Italy and Germany, the Francoist insurgent army developed and refined its internal surveillance measures and even punished soldiers in the line of combat. The dissidents’ adaptive choices ranged from following orders to resistance. Although data cannot be provided as to volume or extent, cases of dissidence can be corroborated and interactions with commanders can be observed. Exposing this new aspect of dissidence provides a fresh perspective on the Spanish Civil War in particular and civil wars in general.