Module Identifier HY13520  
Module Title THE SPANISH CIVIL WAR & THE GREAT POWERS, 1936-1939  
Academic Year 2001/2002  
Co-ordinator Dr Robert Hughes  
Semester Semester 1  
Course delivery Lecture   18 Hours  
  Seminar   6 Hours  
Assessment Essay   2 x 2,500 word essays   40%  
  Exam   2 Hours   60%  

Brief description


The Spanish Civil War remains one of the most controversial episodes in twentieth century European history. It is often characterised as a prelude to the Second World War, yet it has also been depicted as an essentially localised struggle between the forces of revolution and reaction. That the Spanish Civil War's clear potential to escalate into a general European war was not realised was mainly due to the policies of appeasement and non-intervention pursued by Britain and France. This course will focus on the impact of the Spanish Civil War on the inter-war international situation. It will examine the policies of the Great Powers (Britain, France, Italy, Germany, the Soviet Union and the United States) towards Spain between 1936 and 1939. Particular attention will be paid to the role of ideology in shaping policy. These policies will then be located within the wider foreign policy goals of the Great Powers. Additionally, the course will focus on the links between the Spanish war and the origins of the Second World War.