On this day in history: Spanish Civil War breaks out

80 years ago this day, on the 18th of July 1936 the Civil War in Spain started between anti-Christian Republicans and the Nationalists.

The Nationalist Uprising was a response to the Red Terror, under which Communist gangs were murdering political opponents, priests and ‘class enemies’. Even the corpses of dead nuns were dragged from crypts and desecrated, while many priceless Christian artifacts were destroyed.

The Army, led by a General with a tremendous record for bravery in battles against Arabs in North Africa, Francisco Franco, rose in rebellion.

Three years of bitter fighting followed, with the Soviet Union pouring in resources for a Communist victory, and fascist Italy and Germany backing Franco.

The resulting Nationalist victory undoubtedly saved Spain and Portugal from the horrors of Bolshevik rule. Further, it has to be acknowledged that a Communist victory in Spain could well have gone on to inspire a Bolshevik takeover in France. Certainly, history would have been very different, and millions more would have been added to the gruesome catalogue of Communist victims around the world.

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