Well, when studying World War II in class, it was mentioned that Spain never entered this international conflict because it had just had its own civil war. I think this is a quite interesting event to study, since it shows at a national level the diverse ideological conflicts of the time, and the influence that the Allies and the Axis-Powers had on other countries. Here's a two-and-a-half-minute video with an overview of the Spanish Civil War for you to check it out.
The main ideas you'd like to pay attention to are:
- Which party had won the 1936 elections?
- Who were the Loyalists and the Fascists?
- Which countries supported each of these parties?
- Who was Francisco Franco?
The Spanish Civil War (1936–39) was a "military revolt against the Republican government of Spain, supported by conservative elements within the country. When an initial military coup failed to win control of the entire country, a bloody civil war ensued, fought with great ferocity on both sides. [...] The political and emotional reverberations of the war far transcended those of a national conflict, for many in other countries saw the Spanish Civil War as part of an international conflict between—depending on their point of view—tyranny and democracy, or fascism and freedom, or communism and civilization"
References:
Spanish Civil War." Encyclopædia Britannica. 2009. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. 5 sept 2009 <http://search.eb.com/eb/article-9068990>.
